'NORTON, MA- Senior Shauna Mullen (Hooksett, NH) propelled a Keene State College comeback with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning and then won the game in dramatic fashion with a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning, as the fifth-seeded Owls eliminated top-seeded Tufts University, 3-2 at the NCAA Division III New England Regional Softball Tournament.

With the victory, the Owls improve to 27-13 on the year and advance to play second-seeded Wheaton College in the losers bracket final tomorrow afternoon at 12:00 p.m. The winner of that contest will advance to the regional final against fourth-seeded Western New England College at 2:00 p.m. The Jumbos finish their season with a record of 26-13.

The game remained scoreless through the first five innings of play as neither team provided a quality scoring chance. In the top of the sixth, the Jumbos broke through, as pinch hitter Laura Spring (Sutton, MA) singled to lead off the inning, followed by a bunt single off the bat of junior Deana Davidian (Pelham, NY). Advancing a base on a wild pitch, Spring later scored on a sacrifice fly from sophomore Courtney Bongiolatti (Locust, NJ), while Davidian provided the second run of the inning on a sacrifice bunt by senior Lis Drake (Chelmsford, MA).

Down 2-0 and staring elimination in its face in the final at-bat, Keene State was given a jolt as Mullen led off the inning with a home run, followed by back-to-back singles from junior Caroline Kurkowski (Niskayuna, NY) and freshman Abby Blanchette (Webster, NH). Three batters later junior Abby Collis (Wynantskill, NY) posted a sacrifice fly to tie the game at two runs apiece. The score stayed that way until the bottom of the 10th, when senior Jan Rissacher (Voorheesville, NY) led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. Advancing two bases on a sacrifice and a single, Rissacher eventually scored on Mullen's thrilling game winner.

The Owls' Meghan McLoughlin (Brattleboro, VT) picked up her eighth victory of the season, striking out seven and yielding two runs on four hits in 10 innings of work. Junior Pam Swidler (Stamford, CT) was saddled with the loss for Tufts, throwing 2.1 relief innings with three hits allowed.