SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Western New England College baseball team picked-up one of its biggest wins of the season with an 8-7 nail-biter victory over visiting Keene State in a non-league contest Wednesday afternoon (Apr. 23) at Trelease Park.

Senior shortstop Ryan Kravontka (Glastonbury, CT) drove home sophomore second baseman Justin Walz (Groton, CT) with the winning run with a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth.

Walz walked with one out and moved to third on a single to right by sophomore designated hitter Joe Griglun (Southington, CT).

Kravontka's walk-off game-winner came off senior Greg Ford (Nashua, NH) who entered the game in relief from right field after Walz got on base. Ford belted two homers in the contest, including a solo blast to right center that tied the game with two out in the top of the ninth.

This was the Golden Bears' seventh one-run decision of the season and it came against a strong Owls' squad that is ranked second in this week's New England Division III coaches poll.

Griglun finished with three hits and a RBI while Walz had a pair of hits with two runs, and a RBI. Kravontka also rapped out two hits and scored a run. All three players had a double in the back-and-forth contest.

WNEC took a 1-0 lead in the first on a homer by first baseman Travis Schwamb (West Springfield, MA). It was the third homer of the season for senior slugger.

KSC scored three runs in the second with Ford's two-run blast the big hit. The Owls held a 6-1 margin before the Golden Bears plated two runs in the fifth and a single run in the sixth to get within 6-4. WNEC re-gained the lead at 7-6 after scoring three times in the seventh.

Sophomore Matt Rogers (Portsmouth, RI) (3-0) picked-up the win in relief going 5 1/3 innings allowing only three hits with a strikeout and walk.

Keene State compiled 13 hits with sophomore first baseman Beau Darak (Londonderry, NH) going 3-for-5 with a pair of runs. Freshman left-fielder Bobby Doyon (Keene, NH) had two singles, a run, and two RBI. Freshman third baseman John Barber (Brattleboro, VT) also had two hits and scored once.

Sophomore Mike Riley (East Hartford, CT), the fifth of six pitchers, took the loss. He is now 2-2.

Western New England College improves its record to 24-11 while Keene State drops to 24-6.