Box Score Box Score

SPRINGFIELD,Mass. - Playing its fifth game in three days, the Western New England baseball team dropped an 8-4 decision to visiting Keene State in a non-conference contest Thursday afternoon (Mar. 31) at Trelease Park.

The Golden Bears (13-6) managed only five hits and had two costly errors that led to three unearned runs. 

The Owls (11-3) compiled 12 hits with their first two hitters, sophomore left-fielder Greg Bates (Salem, NH) and senior catcher Tyler DiPrato (Suffield, CT), each getting two hits and scoring three runs.

Junior right-fielder Erik Bergstrom (Enfield, CT) also had two hits with a run scored, and two RBI.

Junior first baseman Dan Arsenault (Hot Springs, AR) and junior shortstop Juan Bisono (New Britain, CT) also contributed two hits.

Keene State took a 1-0 lead in the first when Bates led-off with a double and scored on an error.

The Golden Bears scored twice in the second on a RBI double by junior first baseman Mike Taylor (Andover, MA) who scored two batters later on a ground-out by sophomore left-fielder Matt Anthonis (Guilford, CT).

Keene State went ahead for good at 3-2 when Bergstrom laced a two-run single with two outs in the top of the third. The Owls pushed across two more runs in the fifth and three in the eighth.

The Owls used six pitchers with senior Ed Lacourse (Manchester, NH) going two scoreless to even his record at 1-1. He pitched the fifth and sixth innings and gave up only one hit with two walks and three strikeouts.

Anthonis added a RBI triple in the seventh and scored on a ground-out by sophomore right-fielder Casey Dadio (Branford, CT). Anthonis also made a terrific catch on the warning track at the fence to end the second inning.

Senior designated hitter Ryan Dudzinski (Bristol, CT) contributed a pair of doubles. Senior Zach Cloft (Glastonbury, CT) suffered his first loss in three decisions.

This also was the Golden Bears' seventh game since Sunday.

Before the contest, Western New England senior and reigning Miss Connecticut Brittany Decker (Bristol, CT) sang the national anthem.