Pelkey pitches Owls to first win of the season; 6-2 win over MIT

FARMINGDALE, N.Y.  3/3/12 - Senior Jeff Pelkey (Fitzwilliam, N.H.) pitched seven strong innings and Owl bats came alive with 14 hits as the Keene State baseball team posted its first win of the season, a 6-2 victory over MIT at the St. Joseph's College tournament being played at Farmingdale, N.Y on Saturday.

Making his first start of the season, Pelkey kept the Engineers from having a big inning, giving up two runs (one earned) while scattering seven hits with a strikeout and three walks. 

"My sinker was really moving today and I was pounding the zone and getting quick outs," said Pelkey.  "I got to give a lot of credit to my fielders behind me.  They did a great job making some tough plays in big situations. Our infield is young, but they're talented."

"Pelkey was sensational," said KSC Coach Ken Howe. "He had command from the first inning until giving up a walk in the top of the eighth.  We also had a better approach at the plate today and it showed, getting 14 hits against a quality MIT team."

Junior John Coughlin (Litchfield, N.H.) tossed the final two innings, allowing a hit with couple of strikeouts.

The Owls (1-1) scored two runs in the second and third innings to go up 4-0.  Coming up with the bases loaded, freshman Tyler Estevez (East Hartford, Conn.) delivered a two-run single up the middle to give the Owls a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second.  A pair of freshmen, Chuck Vogt (Windsor Locks, Conn.) and Tanner Chase (York, Me.) had back-to-back RBI hits in the bottom of the third to pushed Keene State's lead up to 4-0. 

After MIT scored in the top of the fourth, KSC got the run right back in the bottom of the inning. Estavez singled, moved to third on a double down the left field line by sophomore Ray Carmel (Waterford, N.Y.) and scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Nick Vitta (Spofford, N.H.).

With the score 5-2, KSC got its last run in the bottom of the six on a RBI single off the bat of junior Greg Bates (Salem, N.H.), who finished the game with three hits.

Vitta, Vogt, Chase, and Estavez each had two hits in the game.

Eben Bitonte had two of the Engineer's eight hits.  Aric Dama gave up five runs on 10 hits in his 3.2 innings on the mound to take the loss for MIT, playing its first game of the season.

The Owls wrap up tournament play with a game against St. Joseph's College of Long Island on Sunday morning (10 a.m.).