Saturday, April 29, 2006

ANCHORWOMEN WIN LITTLE EAST REGULAR SEASON TITLE FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE SEASON

RIC to host LEC Tournament on May 4-6 at the Dayna A. Bazar Softball Complex

Willimantic, CT—Rhode Island College captured its second straight Little East Conference Softball Regular Season Championship with a 5-3 win over Eastern Connecticut in game one of a twinbill with the Warriors on Saturday afternoon. Senior right fielder Andree Sitnik’s (Lincoln, RI) three-run homer in the top of the eighth inning snapped a 2-2 deadlock and lifted the Anchorwomen to victory.

Junior catcher Kristyn Alexander (East Wareham, MA) singled and sophomore third baseman Krystal Bilek (Fitchburg, MA) walked to open the inning, and with one out, Sitnik launched a 1-1 pitch over the 215 sign in left-center to drive in three runs. It was the second career homer for the senior outfielder, both of which have been game-winners.

Junior starting pitcher Nicole Riley (North Providence, RI) earned her school-record  20^th win (20-2) of the season, going the distance, allowing just six hits and striking out seven. Eastern Connecticut senior pitcher Lindsay Savelle (Cheshire, CT) took the loss (11-8).

The game one win was a milestone for the RIC softball program as the club earned their 29^th victory of the season, a new school record for victories in a season. The Anchorwomen were ranked 30^th in the nation (Div. III) and first in New England (Div. III) as of the latest polls.

In the second game, Eastern Connecticut sophomore catcher Krystle Denny (West Haven, CT) hit a bases-clearing triple to give the Warriors a 3-1 lead, then broke a 3-3 tie with a two-run home run to left in the fifth to give the Warriors the lead for good, 5-3. The homer was her third of the year.

Senior pitcher Brooke Nici (Clinton, MA) evened her pitching record at 6-6 by pitching into the seventh inning of the second game, and Savelle chalked up her second save of the year by getting the final two outs and stranding two runners. Nici allowed only one earned run on seven hits while fanning one and walking three.

Alexander went 4-for-8 with one run scored and three RBI in the win for the Anchorwomen.

RIC wraps up the regular season with a 29-8-1 overall record and an 11-2-1 (First Place) mark in the Little East. Eastern Connecticut is 19-17 overall and 9-3 in the LEC.