WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Curry College baseball team fell twice to Keene State College in their final games on their spring trip to Winter Haven, Fla. Keene State took the first game, 8-6 and then won the nightcap, 7-6 in 12 innings. The Owls improved to 5-4 on the season while the Colonels slipped to 2-9 on the year.
GAME ONE
Keene State opened the first game with three runs in the top of the third to grab the early advantage. Christian Bourgea (Litchfield, N.H.) started the scoring with an RBI single to right to drive in Zach Rollins (Stafford Springs, Conn.) to make the score, 1-0. John Tarascio () continued the frame when the designated hitter contributed a two RBI single to center which helped the Owls grab a 3-0 lead.
The next scoring opportunities came in the seventh. Bourgea continued his big game with a two RBI single to left center to extend the lead to 5-0. Connor Walsh (Goffstown, N.H.) followed with a three RBI double to center to continue the offensive output and push the lead to 8-0.
Curry made one last push in the seventh, tallying six runs. Jared Keller (Oxford, Conn.) drew a bases loaded walk to send Nick Crivello (Millville, Mass.). Alex McLean (Eliot, Maine) continued the rally with a walk of his own to push Tyler Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.) to make the score 8-2.
John Cave (Tewksbury, Mass.) stepped to the plate and hit a two RBI single to left field to cut the original deficit in half to 8-4. Justin Cage (Glendora, Calif.) reached on an error by the Keene State third baseman that would allow McLean to score and then Vincent LoPriore (Boston, Mass.) singled to center field to drive in cave to pull within two. The rally fell short there as the Colonels would fall by an 8-6 final.
Four Curry players pitched in single hits on the afternoon while Cave led the Colonels with two RBI's. Bourgea and Tarascio paced Keene State with two hits apiece.
Michael Crimi (Bethel, Conn.) picked up the victory on the mound for the Owls, tossing a complete game while giving up six runs on four hits. He struck seven and walked five in seven innings of work. Brian Burke (Swampscott, Mass.) was credited with the loss, surrendering eight runs on 10 hits while striking out seven and walking one.
GAME TWO
Keene State got on the board first in game two, thanks to sacrifice fly by Tarascio to make the score 1-0. Curry would answer right back on a single by Cage that scored Adam Duarte (East Providence, R.I.).
The Colonels would snag the lead in the fourth on a RBI double by Duarte and Cave followed by scoring on a wild pitch.
Keene State cut into the deficit and was able to make it a tied game in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI double to right by Walsh.
The contest headed to extras and the next scoring plays would come in the top of the 12th. Michael Moreau (Marshfield, Mass.) sent a fly ball to right which sent Mitchell Carvalho (Cranston, R.I.) home to reclaim the lead at 6-5.
But the Owls would have one last shot to win the contest in the bottom of the 12. Walsh stepped up to the plate and had a two RBI double to left that scored Devin Springfield and Mac Struthers for the tying and winning runs for the walk off victory.
Duarte paced Curry in game two with three hits and adding one run batted in and one run scored. Walsh and Springfield had 3-for-6 days at the plate. Michael McDermott (Waterford, Conn.) picked up the victory, only tossing one inning of action. Kevin Jones (Pembroke, Mass.) was credited the loss, going two and a third innings. He gave up two runs on two hits while striking out two and walking one.
Curry will return to the northeast to take on Middlebury at the New England Baseball Complex in Northborough, Mass. on Sunday for a doubleheader beginning at 11:00 a.m.