Rhode Island College Softball Dominates Little East Conference Awards

Maria Morin Named Coach of the Year;
Amy Machado Tabbed Player of the Year;
Christie Lotti Named Rookie of the Year;
Seven Earn All-Conference Distinction

Providence, RI—The Rhode Island College Softball Team dominated the 2005 Little East Conference post-season awards.

Head Coach Maria Morin was named the 2005 Little East Conference Softball Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. Morin led the Anchorwomen to the 2005 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) N.E. Div. III Championship. RIC closed out the season with a 28-15 overall record, establishing a new program record for wins in a season. RIC’s 28 victories were the most in a season since the 2002 squad won 27. The Anchorwomen also went 12-2 in the Little East and were the conference regular season champions. The first place finish and 12 conference wins were also new program records.

Senior third baseman Amy Machado (Newport, RI) was named the 2005 Little East Conference Softball Player of the Year. Machado was also named First Team All-Little East at third base. Machado was a Third Team All-New England at-large selection and was selected as the team MVP. She played in 41 games, starting 40 of them. She batted .323 with 41 hits, two home runs, ten doubles, two triples, 17 runs scored and a team-high 25 RBI. Machado owned a .496 slugging percentage, a .376 on-base percentage and a .898 fielding percentage.

Freshman first baseman Christie Lotti (Waterford, CT) was named the 2005 Little East Conference Softball Rookie of the Year. Lotti was also named First Team All-Little East at first base. She was a First Team All-New England selection as a first baseman. She played in 42 games, starting 41 of them. She batted a team-high .441 with a team-high 60 hits, 37 runs scored, 16 walks, six triples, five home runs and 17 stolen bases along with 13 doubles and 22 RBI. Lotti set RIC single-season records in hits, runs scored and home runs this spring. Lotti owned a .735 slugging percentage, a .500 on base percentage and a .975 fielding percentage. She was named the Little East Player of the Week once and was the LEC’s Rookie of the Week twice this season.

Sophomore Adora Burke (Naples, ME) was named First Team All-Little East Conference as a shortstop. Burke played in 40 games, starting 34 of them. She batted .308 with 32 hits, five doubles, one triple, one home run, 20 runs scored, 15 RBI and two stolen bases. She owned a .404 slugging percentage, a .363 on-base percentage and a .891 fielding percentage.

Freshman Krystal Bilek (Fitchburg, MA) was named First Team All-Little East Conference as a designated player. Bilek played in 25 games, starting 19 of them. She batted .318 with 21 hits, five doubles, one home run, six runs scored, 16 RBI and eight walks. She owned a .439 slugging percentage, a .403 on-base percentage and a 1.000 fielding percentage.

Sophomore Kristyn Alexander (East Wareham, MA) was named Second Team All-Little East as a catcher. Alexander played in 42 games, starting 37 of them. She batted .270 with 31 hits, five doubles, one home run, five runs scored, 13 RBI and five walks. She owned a .339 slugging percentage, a .311 on-base percentage and a .988 fielding percentage.

Junior Megan Ponte (Wakefield, RI) was named Second Team All-Little East as an outfielder. She played in 38 games, starting 37 of them. She batted .255 with 25 hits, one double, two triples, two home runs, 17 runs scored, six RBI and three stolen bases. She owned a .367 slugging percentage, a .311 on-base percentage and a .980 fielding percentage.

Freshman Heidi Eichler (Madison, CT) was named Second Team All-Little East as a pitcher. Eichler was named the ECAC Tournament’s MVP. She appeared in 29 games, starting 22 of them. Eichler was 14-8 with a 1.75 ERA, 120 strikeouts and two saves in 136 innings pitched. She had 14 complete games and eight shutouts on the season.

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