FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 8, 2006

Rhode Island College Softball Captures Little East Conference Tournament
Anchorwomen Advance to NCAA Regional Tournament May 11-14

Providence, RI— The Rhode Island College softball team captured the 2006 Little East Conference Softball Tournament Championship for the first time in school history with a 2-1 victory over fifth-seeded Southern Maine on Saturday, May 6. 

The Anchorwomen advance to the NCAA Div. III Softball Regional Tournament, hosted by Babson, on Thursday-Sunday, May 11-14. The seven-team bracket features top-seeded Williams, second-seeded RIC, third-seeded Western New England, fourth-seeded Babson, fifth-seeded Endicott, sixth-seeded Bridgewater State and seventh-seeded Saint Joseph’s of Long Island. The double elimination tournament will feature four games on Thursday, four games on Friday, three on Saturday and three on Sunday. The Anchorwomen will open play at 2 p.m. on Thursday against seventh-seeded Saint Joseph’s of Long Island.

Head Coach Maria Morin’s team is currently 33-8-1 overall and finished the regular season with an 11-2-1 (First Place) mark in the Little East Conference. RIC was the Little East Conference Softball Regular Season Champion for the second consecutive year. The Anchorwomen defeated seventh-seeded UMass Dartmouth, 7-1, in opening round action of the LEC Tournament on May 4, then downed fourth-seeded Western Connecticut, 6-4, and seventh-seeded Southern Maine, 5-2, on May 5, before facing the Huskies once again in the Championship Game.

The 2006 Anchorwomen

Senior pitcher Nicole Riley (North Providence, RI) has appeared in 32 games, starting 25 of them. She is currently 24-2, a new school record for wins in a season, and has not lost a game since Mar. 17. Riley owns an ERA of 1.36 with 21 complete games, five shutouts, two saves and has struck out 154 batters in 175.1 innings pitched. Riley has been named the Little East Conference’s Pitcher of the Week three times on the season.

Senior right fielder Andree Sitnik (Lincoln, RI) was named the Little East Conference Softball Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. She batted .357 (5-for-14) with two runs scored, three RBI, one triple and played flawless defense in right field, over four games in the tourney. She has played in 42 games, starting all of them, on the season. She is batting .318 (41-for-129), 117 points higher than her career average coming into the season, with 41 hits, 24 runs, eight doubles, four triples, two home runs and 26 RBI. Both of her home runs were walk-off game-winners.

Senior left fielder Katie Benevides (North Dighton, MA) has played in 42 games, starting all of them. She is batting .387 (53-for-137) with 35 runs, five doubles, one triple, 14 RBI and five stolen bases. She is second on the team in both runs and hits.

Senior center fielder Megan Ponte (Wakefield, RI) has played in 42 games, starting all of them. She is batting .260 (32-for-123) with 14 runs scored, two doubles, four triples, two home runs, 14 RBI and six stolen bases. Ponte made a key play in the LEC Tournament Championship game vs. Southern Maine, throwing out the potential tying run at the plate after catching a fly ball in the third inning.

Senior second baseman Casie Lyons (Hudson, MA) has played in 41 games, starting all of them. She is batting .368 (39-for-106) with 21 runs scored, 12 doubles, three triples, 17 RBI and two stolen bases. The squad’s number-nine batter leads the team in doubles and is third in batting average.

Sophomore first baseman Christie Lotti (Waterford, CT) has played in 42 games, starting all of them. She is batting .401 (57-for-142) with 37 runs, seven doubles, ten triples, four home runs, 26 RBI and eight stolen bases. Lotti leads the team in batting, hits, runs, triples, home runs, stolen bases and is tied for second on the club in RBI. Lotti hit an RBI triple in the second inning to plate what proved to be the game-winning run in the Championship Game of the LEC Tournament.

Junior catcher/designated player Kristyn Alexander (East Wareham, MA) has played in 42 games, starting all of them. She is batting .344 (43-for-125) with 14 runs, ten doubles and a team-high 27 RBI.

Freshman pitcher/designated player Justine Burgess (Uxbridge, MA) has played in 34 games, starting 33 of them. She is batting .302 (29-for-96) with 16 runs scored, seven doubles, two triples, one home run and 16 RBI. As the squad’s number two pitcher, she is 8-6 with a 2.74 ERA on the season. She has appeared in 17 games, starting 16 of them, with eight complete games, two shutouts and has struck out 52 batters in 89.1 innings of work. Burgess was named the Little East Conference Softball Rookie of the Week once on the season.

Sophomore third baseman/catcher Krystal Bilek (Fitchburg, MA) has played in 42 games, starting all of them. She is batting .299 (35-for-117) with 22 runs, 11 doubles, two triples, one home run and 18 RBI. She leads the team with 24 walks and is second in doubles.

Sophomore shortstop Jeanne Rosa (Milford, CT) has played in 42 games, starting all of them. She is batting .266 (12-for-45) with six runs, three doubles, one triple, four RBI and one stolen base.

Freshman third baseman Kelli McCartin (Cranston, RI) has played in 23 games, starting 17 of them. She is batting .186 (8-for-43) with six runs, one double, two RBI and one stolen base.

Freshman pitcher Kerianne Fuller (Lincoln, RI) has appeared in seven games, starting one of them. She is 1-0 with a 0.62 ERA and five strikeouts in 11.1 innings pitched.

Freshman outfielder Ashley Vanasse (North Providence, RI) has played in 18 games and has scored four runs.

Junior outfielder Micaela Folan (Pawtucket, RI) has played in three games and scored one run.

Freshman infielder Kristen Pacheco (Bristol, RI) has played in three games and scored two runs.

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