Keene State claims Little East crown

KEENE, N.H. – Keene State scored six runs in both the second and seventh innings to defeat the University of Southern Maine 14-7 and win the Little East Conference baseball championship Saturday.

Keene State had to defeat USM twice in the championship round, and topped the Huskies 21-2 earlier in the day.

Southern Maine’s season must wait for the NCAA tournament selection committee to award a possible at-large berth.

In the first game, tournament MVP Greg Ford hit a home run and three singles and drove in four runs for Keene State. Jamie Chevalier added two doubles and a single with two RBIs.

Junior Ryan Pike hit a home run to pace the Huskies. Anthony D’Alfonso doubled.

In the second game, Joe Rousseau had a double and two singles with three RBIs for Keene State. Bobby Doyon doubled and singled and drove in three runs.

Ryan Gaffney had three singles and two RBIs for Southern Maine. D’Alfonso added three singles and an RBI.

(Saturday’s First Game)

Keene St. 351 107 022 – 21 26 1

So. Maine 000 101 000 – 2 7 3

Chevalier, Lacourse (7) and Cipolla, DiPrato (7); Curran, Hahn (1), Holmes (6), Eaton (6), Arsenault (8), Fessenden (9), Nutter (9) and Berthiaume, Mullins (7)

(Saturday’s Second Game)

Keene St. (33-9) 060 000 602 – 14 14 2

So. Maine (23-12) 010 110 103 – 7 15 1

Sonberg, Wentworth (5), Delbuono (5), Ford (8) and Cipolla; Ross, deBethune (2), Schmidt (7), Stacy (7), Curran (7), Eaton (9) and Berthiaume