BABSON PARK, Mass. - Senior pitcher Meghan McLoughlin
(Brattleboro, Vt.) fired a complete game one-hitter to lead Keene
State College to a 4-0 victory over Endicott College in game nine
of the 2005 NCAA Division III Softball Tournament New England
Regional at Babson College on Sunday morning. With the win, Keene
State (34-7) advances to the championship round against Williams
College, which can claim the regional title with a win over the
Owls in the teams' first meeting at 11 a.m. on Sunday. If Keene
State wins that contest, a final game would be played at 10 a.m. on
Monday to determine the tournament winner. Meanwhile, Endicott saw
its magnificent season come to a close with a record of 35-4-1.
McLoughlin was overpowering for Keene State, surrendering one
hit and five walks while striking out four in seven innings of
work. Endicott's only hit came with one out in the top of the
fourth inning, when senior Elyse Colby (Manchester, N.H.) ripped a
single to left field. A walk and a fielding error then loaded the
bases for the Gulls, but McLoughlin induced a fielder's choice
grounder to second that cut down Colby at the plate followed by an
inning-ending ground out to third.
Keene State scored all four of its runs in the bottom of the
second, as sophomore Kari Gardner (Grafton, Mass.) led off with a
single to left, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on
an RBI single by sophomore Kathleen Gambino (Freeport, N.Y.). A
throwing error then allowed Gambino to come home with the Gulls'
second run, and, three batters later, a dropped fly ball in the
outfield enabled junior Amanda Foote (Hudson, N.H.) and senior
Jennifer Norman (Penacook, N.H.) to score, giving Keene State a 4-0
advantage.
McLoughlin improved to 15-4 with the win, while Endicott
sophomore starter Nicole Reather (Riverton, Utah) fell to 10-3
after giving up four runs, three of which were unearned, in 1 2/3
innings. Sophomore Robyn Savitske (Hellertown, Pa.) tossed 4 1/3
scoreless innings of relief for the Gulls, allowing just two hits
and a walk.
