BABSON PARK, Mass. -- Senior Pat Matvichuk (Middleton, Mass.) followed up a critical defensive play with a key three-run double and sophomore Connor Allen (Madison, N.J.) pitched brilliantly in relief to help the Babson College baseball team earn a 14-4 victory over visiting Keene State College in a non-conference contest at Govoni Field on Thursday.

Keene State plated two runs in the top of the first, despite managing just one infield hit in the frame. After a pair of one-out walks and two stolen bases, first-year Cody Dube (Windham, Maine) drove in the first run of the game with an infield hit to shortstop. He and senior Greg Bates (Salem, N.H.) then executed a double steal with Bates crossing the plate with the second Owls' run of the game.

The visitors threatened to break the game open in the top of the third, loading the bases with one out to chase Babson first-year starter Kasey Carollo (Londonderry, N.H.). However, Matvichuk made a spectacular leaping catch on a screaming liner off the bat of sophomore Ian Seawards (Dover, N.H.) and turned it into an inning ending double play. The senior shortstop then scored the Beavers' first run of the afternoon in the fourth, as he was hit by a pitch, stole second, moved to third on an infield hit by senior Chris Kucher (Westwood, Mass.), and scored on an RBI-groundout to first by sophomore Sean MacPhee (Framingham, Mass.).

The Beavers grabbed their first lead of the day in the bottom half of the fifth, with Matvichuk again coming up big for the hosts. After a pair of walks sandwiched around a single by sophomore Joe Zanca (Braintree, Mass.) loaded the bases, Matvichuk laced a three-run double down the line in left. Moments later, he stole third on a Eric Perrault (Salem, N.H.) offering that skipped to the backstop, allowing him to round the bag and score to give Babson a 5-2 lead.

The rout was on from there, as the Green and White added nine runs over the next three innings to run away with the 14-4 victory. Zanca knocked in two during that stretch to finish his afternoon with two hits, one run scored, and two RBIs in four at-bats. Matvichuk added a 2-for-4 day of his own with three runs scored and three driven in, and Kucher also collected two hits in four trips with a run scored.

Picking up the win for the Beavers was Allen (1-0), who was outstanding in relief of Carollo. The sophomore righthander came on in the third and went 6 2/3 innings, allowing just two runs - only one of which was earned - on seven hits, walked none and struck out two. The win was his first of the young season.