KEENE, N.H. – The New England College baseball team suffered a narrow loss to Keene State College in the team's final non-conference game of the season. Runs were not hard to come by for either team, with the Owls of Keene State ultimately holding off the Pilgrims 16-12 on Wednesday afternoon at the Owl Athletic Complex in Keene, New Hampshire.  

THE BASICS 
Score: New England College 12, Keene State 16 
Records: Pilgrims 6-24 | Owls 16-18 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• NEC junior infielder Brady Philibotte (Weare, N.H.) kept his strong season going at the plate with a one-out double to center field in the top of the first inning. The shortstop would advance to third on a groundout before scoring on a wild pitch by Keene starter Jack Lang (Malverne, N.Y.) to give the 'Grims an early 1-0 lead. 
• The hosts wasted no time erasing the Pilgrim lead, piecing together a one-out rally with six consecutive Owls reaching base – headlined by an RBI triple off the bat of junior outfielder Shea Zina (Greenville, N.H.). By the time the smoke cleared, the Owls had put up a five-spot in the bottom of the first to take the lead.  
• The top of the second would mirror much of the top of the first for the 'Grims, as sophomore outfielder Ryan Cote (Goffstown, N.H.) hit a one-out double before reaching third on a passed ball. Cote would then score on an RBI groundout from freshman outfielder Daemon Tarpley (Orlando, Fla.) 
• After holding the Owls scoreless in the bottom of the second, NEC looked to eat into the Owl lead in the top of the third. Graduate infielder Cooper Ribaudo (Salem, N.H.) led off the inning with a single before Philibotte hit his second double of the day to set the table for senior infielder Brett Patnode (Weare, N.H.). With runners on second and third, Patnode would hammer a double to center field, scoring both runners and forcing Keene to go to the bullpen. Patnode would tag-up on a fly ball to right field to advance to third before scoring on a sacrifice fly by graduate infielder Tyler Gendron (Milford, N.H.) to the knot the game up at five-a-piece. 
• In the bottom of the third, Keene State would immediately re-take the lead once again. The Owls would walk five times in the inning and would use two singles and a fielder's choice to plate six runs in the inning.  
• Down 11-5 entering the fourth, Cote would get things rolling with a leadoff single to left field. Tarpley would then reach on a hit-by-pitch before freshman outfielder Jason Figuereo (Lynn, Mass.) walked to load the bases. Ribaudo would come through with his second hit of the day to drive in Cote and keep the bases loaded. Philibotte would get under one, lifting a fly ball to left for a sacrifice fly scoring Tarpley. Back-to-back strikeouts would strand two Pilgrims on the bases and take an 11-7 Keene lead into the fifth.  
• After the Owls added two more runs in the bottom-half of the fifth, and put one more across in the sixth, Gendron walked and senior catcher Lachlan Rees (Adelaide, Australia) reached on a HBP to start the top of the seventh. With both being replaced by pinch runners, sophomore outfielder Noah Winship (Rochester, N.H.) would score from third on a batted ball from Cote that was mishandled by the Keene third baseman. Later in the inning, the pinch running freshman catcher Alex Velasco (Lynn, Mass.) would score on another Keene error to score the team's second run of the inning. Sophomore pitcher Brendan Hill (Lincoln, R.I.) would tame the Owls in the bottom of the seventh with three strikeouts to keep the deficit at five.  
• Trailing 14-9 going into the eighth, senior infielder Johnny Cannavo (Weymouth, Mass.) kicked off a potential rally with a one-out double to right field. After Winship walked and Velasco reached on an error to load the bases, Keene would give up a freebie with an RBI hit-by-pitch of Cote. Tarpley grounded into the second out of the inning but not before driving in Winship to make it a three-run game. Freshman infielder Nick Becker (Portland, Maine), who had replaced Figuereo in right field, came through with his first collegiate base-knock in the form of an RBI single to score Velasco. The Owls would manage to stop the bleeding at three runs in the inning, holding onto a two-run lead. 
• Keene State would manage two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth off a single, two walks, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly. In the top of the ninth, the 'Grims would go down in order to fall just short, 12-16.  

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Keene State sophomore pitcher Sean Brennan (Wilton, N.H.) was credited with the win in relief while freshman pitcher Liam Shaw (Colebrook, N.H.) was handed the loss for NEC. Sophomore pitcher Troy Brennan (Wilton, N.H.) earned the four-out save for the Owls.  
• Owls sophomore outfielder Tommy Ahlers (Salem, N.H.) led all players with five RBIs. Graduate infielder Brendan Eaton went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. 
• The Pilgrim bats have woken up of late, having now scored a combined 31 runs over their past two games.  
• With two doubles on the day, Philibotte now has a team-high 11 two-baggers on the season. The 11 doubles also mark a new career-high surpassing his nine doubles from his freshman campaign.  
• Graduate infielder Bryce Worth (Southington, Conn.) entered the game in the fifth inning and collected his 10th stolen base of the season. Worth has been active on the basepaths, both leading the team in steals and destroying his previous season-high of two thefts.  

UP NEXT 

• NEC is back on the field on Saturday when they resume conference play at Saint Joseph's College of Maine, with a GNAC doubleheader beginning at 12:00 PM in Standish, Maine.  
• Keene plays next Saturday against UMass-Dartmouth for a doubleheader at 12:00 and 3:00 PM. 

For continuing coverage of New England College Athletics, visit athletics.nec.edu and follow the Pilgrims on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.