FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 2, 2008

RIC ADVANCES TO LITTLE EAST TITLE GAME
Anchorwomen Crush Top-Seeded Warriors, 10-1

Willimantic, CT—Second-seeded Rhode Island College defeated top-seed and tourney host Eastern Connecticut, 10-1, in five innings at the 2008 Little East Conference Softball Tournament at Spector Field. The Anchorwomen advance to the Championship Game for the third consecutive season, which will be played tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. The Warriors will play an elimination game with Keene State at 11 a.m. to determine RIC’s opponent.

The win was sweet revenge for Rhode Island College, which saw its chance to claim the 2008 LEC Regular Season Championship outright and establish a new program record for league wins in a season dashed when the Warriors swept a doubleheader from the Anchorwomen last Saturday afternoon.

Rhode Island College (32-7) jumped all over Eastern Connecticut junior starting pitcher Lisa Cody (Webster, MA) in the bottom of the first, plating six runs on six hits and chasing her from the pitching circle after just two-thirds of an inning. Senior third baseman Krystal Bilek (Fitchburg, MA) blasted a two-run homer (2) and sophomore shortstop Kelsey Souza (Braintree, MA) smacked a bases-clearing double as part of the outburst.

 Kelsey Souza

After scoring in the second, the Anchorwomen added three additional runs in the fourth, with Bilek picking up an additional RBI on a bases loaded walk.

 Krystal Bilek

Freshman pitcher Melanie Neece (Westfield, MA) went the distance, allowing one unearned run on eight hits, while striking out six to earn her 18^th (18-3) win of the season. Bilek went 1-for-1 with two runs scored, three RBI, two walks and a home run.

Cody took the loss (3-3), while junior Katie Pensiero (Stamford, CT) and freshman Brittany Soucy (Terryville, CT) closed out the game for the Warriors (26-11).

The Anchorwomen will be looking to win their third consecutive Little East Conference Championship tomorrow afternoon.

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