HARWICH, MA - St. Joe's (28-17) dropped the first game of the NCAA New England Regional Tournament to the Keene State Owls (34-9), 6-1, on Wednesday evening. SO Andrew Keirstead (Westbrook, ME) pitched 7 1/3 innings, allowing 6 runs in the losing effort. FR Ian Lee (Hampden, ME) drove in the lone St. Joseph's run in the 9th inning, scoring SR Dustin Spiller (Gorham, ME). The Monks will take on the loser of the #2 Wheaton College/#7 Worcester State game tomorrow afternoon at 1pm.

Scoreless through four and a half innings, Keene State was first to get on the board in the bottom of the fifth. With two out and a runner on second, Jeff Perkins and Joe Rousseau hit back-to-back singles as the Owls got two runs in the inning.

Keene State added a run in the sixth, and scored three more in the eighth. The three runs in the eighth were courtesy of a Greg Ford three-run homer. After a walk and an intentional walk, Ford stepped to the plate and sent one over the fence in right field.

St. Joe's did manage to get one run in the top of the ninth to prevent the shutout, as Ian Lee cracked a double that scored Spiller from first base.

The Monks were dominated by Keene State pitcher Jamie Morin, who threw a complete game four-hitter and struck out 13 batters.

Perkins registered three hits for the game, and teammate Anthony Cipolia went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.