KEENE, N.H. 4/24/04- Keene State College captured the regular season Little East Softball title and secured the top seed in the upcoming conference Softball Tournament with a double header sweep (2-1 and 5-1) over the University of Southern Maine at Owl Athletic Complex on Saturday.

Trailing 1-0, Keene State (25-7, 12-2 LEC) won the first game in dramatic fashion with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.  With one out, Kathleen Gambino (Freeport, N.Y.) got an infield single and moved to second on a sacrifice by Jenn Norman (Penacook, N.H.).  Adria Reynolds (Portsmouth, N.H.) singled to left to score Gambino.  USM's catcher Kristen Tong (Swanzey, N.H.) cut off the throw and trying to get Reynolds going into second, threw the ball over the second baseman's head into center allowing Reynolds to come all the way around to score the go ahead run.
 
Meghan McLoughlin (Brattleboro, Vt.), who finished with 10 strikeouts, struck out the sides in the top of the seventh to end the game.

The Huskies (28-7, 9-5 LEC) scored their run in the top of the fourth when Tong doubled, moved up to third on a sacrifice, and came home on a wild pitch.

The game was a match-up of two of the LEC's top hurlers.  McLoughlin, who gave up four hits, improves to 11-1.   Katie Mainville (Coopers Mills, Maine) (15-2) allowed three hits and also struck out 10 hitters for USM.

In the second game, the Owls jumped out to a 2-0 first inning lead on a two-run double to center by Abby Collis (Wynantskill, N.Y.). Sarah Campbell (Auburn, Mass.), opened the third with a single and later scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0. Norman had an RBI single in the fourth and Caroline Kurkowski (Niskayuna, N.Y) added a run-producing hit in the sixth.

KSC starter Erin Fouroli (Warwick, R.I.) pitched into the sixth inning scattering six hits to improve her record to 10-1.  She struck out two and walked two. 

Melissa Henderson (12-5) took the loss for the Huskies.  She fanned seven and walked six in her six innings on the mound.

Norman and Kurkowski had two hits each for KSC while Renne Heath (Brunswick, Maine) went 3-for-4 and Catterina Rittano (Sangerville, Maine) had a pair of hits for USM.

The LEC Tournament begins on Thursday.