|
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
|
|
|
May 3, 2008 |
|
|
RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE SOFTBALL
WINS LITTLE EAST CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THIRD
STRAIGHT SEASON
Bilek Named Most Outstanding Player as RIC Readies For
NCAAs
|
|
Willimantic, CT—Second-seeded
Rhode Island College defeated fourth-seeded Keene State, 13-4, in
the Championship Game of the 2008 Little East Conference Softball
Tournament at Spector Field. The victory raises the Anchorwomen’s
record to 33-7 as they ready to host the NCAA Div. III New England
Regional Tournament on May 8-12 at the Dayna A. Bazar Softball
Complex. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
The
Anchorwomen, who clinched the 2008 Little East Conference Regular
Season Championship, along with Eastern Connecticut, for the fourth
consecutive season, last Saturday, have now won the past three
league tournaments. RIC, currently ranked No. 1 in New England,
enters the NCAAs for the third straight season. Rhode Island College
won the New England Region last spring and advanced to the National
Championship Round for the first time in school history. The NCAA
field and N.E. tourney participants will be announced late Sunday
evening. |
|
|
|
Senior third
baseman Krystal Bilek (Fitchburg, MA) was named the 2008
Little East Conference Softball Tournament’s Most Outstanding
Player. She batted .636 (7-for-11) with four runs scored, one
double, two home runs and seven RBI as the Anchorwomen cruised
through the tourney field with a 4-0 record. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Krystal Bilek along with
Little East Conference Commissioner Jonathan Harper |
|
|
|
RIC earned
wins over fifth-seeded Southern Maine (5-3) in the first round, a
dominant win over top seed and tourney host Eastern Connecticut
(10-1) yesterday, along with two wins over the Owls (5-3, 13-4). |
|
|
|
In the title contest, Rhode
Island College trailed, 2-1, until the third inning when the
Anchorwomen scored three times and never looked back. After
sophomore shortstop Kelsey Souza (Braintree, MA) scored on an
error, freshman designated player Kayla Jandreau (Plainville, CT)
blasted a two-out, two-run homer (4) to center field. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Kayla Jandreau |
|
|
|
The Anchorwomen put the game out
of reach with four runs in the fifth, led by sophomore right fielder
Michelle Perrin’s (Saugus, MA) two-run double. RIC exploded
for five runs in the seventh, led by a Bilek home run (3) and RBI
singles by freshman center fielder Donielle Mattoon (Coventry,
RI) and senior catcher Jeanne Rosa (Milford, CT). |
|
|
|
Sophomore pitcher Jenna
Deveines (Lowville, NY) earned the win (14-3), allowing four
runs on five hits in 4.1 innings, before giving way to freshman
Melanie Neece (Westfield, MA), who hurled 2.2 innings of shutout
ball to close out the contest. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Melanie Neece |
|
|
|
 |
|
Jenna Deveines |
|
|
|
Neece and Deveines were solid in
the Anchorwomen’s four wins. Neece appeared in all four games, going
3-0 with a 1.19 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 17.2 innings of work.
Deveines appeared in three games, going 1-0 with two saves, a 4.20
ERA and three strikeouts in 8.1 innings. |
|
|
|
In addition to Bilek, Souza was
outstanding from the plate, batting .667 (6-for-9) with three runs
scored, a double and five RBI. Jandreau batted .400 (4-for-10) with
six runs scored, a double, one homer and three RBI. Senior first
baseman Christie Lotti (Waterford, CT) batted .385 (5-for-13)
with five runs scored and a double. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Kelsey Souza |
|
|
|
-end- |
|