FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 26, 2008

WARRIORS SHOCK RIC IN DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP
Eastern Connecticut to Host Upcoming Little East Tournament

Willimantic, CT—Eastern Connecticut earned the right to host the 2008 Little East Conference Softball Tournament by sweeping a doubleheader (8-2, 6-4) from Rhode Island College Saturday afternoon at Howard Spector Field. The Anchorwomen and Warriors will share the 2008 LEC Regular Season Championship with identical 12-2 league records.

It marks the fourth straight season RIC has won the regular season crown after winning the outright title the past three seasons. 2008 will mark the first time since 2004 that the Dayna A. Bazar Softball Complex will not be the site for the LEC tourney.

The Anchorwomen had not been swept in a doubleheader since dropping two at Coast Guard on Apr. 12, 2005. RIC had not been swept in Little East play since Apr. 24, 2003 at Western Connecticut.

RIC’s 12-2 LEC mark ties the program record (2007, 2005) for the most conference wins in school history.

RIC led, 1-0, after two and a half innings in game one before the Warriors jumped on freshman pitcher Melanie Neece (Westfield, MA) with two runs in the home half of the third. Junior first baseman Rachel Denny (East Haddam, CT) and sophomore center fielder Ashley Sullivan (Trumbull, CT) did the damage with RBI singles.

The Warriors plated four runs in the fourth, chasing Neece from the contest. Sophomore shortstop Kim Church (Farmington, CT) belted a two-run double and Sullivan notched an RBI double as well. RIC sophomore pitcher Jenna Deveines (Lowville, NY) came on in relief, but the Warriors were able score two more on freshman designated hitter Katie Dinihanian’s (Stratford, CT) two-run single.

ECSU junior pitcher Katie Pinsiero (Stamford, CT) earned the win (11-4), holding the high-powered RIC offense to just two runs on six hits, while recording six strikeouts, in seven innings of work. Neece took the loss (15-3), surrendering five earned runs on six hits in 3.1 innings.

Game two was tied, 3-3, after three innings, but a three-run fifth led the Warriors to a 6-4 victory. Deveines started for the Anchorwomen, but was relieved by Neece in the fifth. Church led off with a home run and senior right fielder Katie Livingston (West Hartford, CT) smacked a two-run single in the frame.

Eastern Connecticut freshman pitcher Caitlin Cravens (Ellsworth, ME) earned the win (10-3), while junior Lisa Cody (Webster, MA) picked up her first save. Deveines was saddled with the loss (13-3).

RIC freshman catcher Kayla Jandreau (Plainville, CT) went 2-for-4 with one run scored and an RBI with a solo homer (3) in game one, while senior Christie Lotti (Waterford, CT) went 2-for-4 with one run scored and two RBI in game two.

In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will be the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Little East Conference Tournament and will face fifth-seeded Southern Maine at Eastern Connecticut on Thursday, May 1 at 3 p.m..

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