Offensive outbursts in the third and sixth innings helped power the Big Red baseball team to a 9-5 victory over Keene State on Friday afternoon in Auburndale, Fla.

Denison jumped out to an early lead when junior Ryan Mulligan hit a sacrifice fly to right that scored Andrew Touhy.  After the Owls tied the game in the top of the second, the Big Red's Nick Marsit answered with an RBI single that scored Lascelles Lagares, who reached with one-out double.  Once again, Keene State tied the game in its next at bat when Billy Hartmann roped a single that scored Joe Libby.

In the bottom of the third, DU pushed across four runs thanks to three hits and an error by the Keene State defense. Georgie Montes and Touhy both drew free passes to open the frame.  After a Charlie Apfelbach single loaded the bases, the Owls made a pitching change that brought in Julian Haddad.  Mulligan welcomed the new pitcher into the game by roping a single that scored Montes and Touhy.  Apfelbach also came around to score in the inning after Duncan Moran reached on an error by the shortstop.  Sophomore Brandon Morgan pushed across the final run with a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher.

Keene State shrunk the deficit to 6-4 with RBI doubles from Matt Boulay and Libby in the fourth. In the sixth inning, Denison needed just two hits to add three runs to its lead.  After two one-out walks put runners at first and second, Marsit ripped a double that scored Lagares and moved Conner Madey to third.  Montes followed with a base hit that plated Madey and moved Marsit up 90 feet.  Touhy knocked in the third run with a ground out to third.

The Owls scored a run in the seventh when Hartmann was caught stealing second. However, the combination of JT Trimble and Mulligan held Keene State to just that one run and four hits over the final three innings.  With one out and the bases loaded in the ninth, Mulligan got Andy Johnson to pop out to Moran at third. He then struck Boulay out swinging to secure his first save of the season.

Apfelbach and Marsit each recorded two hits, while Mulligan drove in a game-high three runs. Marsit also had two RBIs, while Touhy and Lagares each scored twice. Colgain picked up his first win of the year after allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits with six strikeouts over the course of six innings.  Trimble allowed just one run on five hits in 2.1 frames, while Mulligan struck out one in the final two-thirds of the ninth.

Johnson paced the Owls with three hits, two runs and a stolen base, while Nick Vita also logged two hits and swiped a bag.  Starter Kevin Guild suffered the loss after giving up five runs (four earned) on five hits in two innings of work.

With the win, Denison moves to 3-6, while the loss drops Keene State to 4-5.  The Big Red wraps up its spring break trip on Saturday when they take on William Paterson at 9:30 a.m.