Providence, RI-Keene State senior pitcher Meghan McLoughlin (Brattleboro, VT) fired a four-hit, complete game shutout with ten strikeouts to lead the Owls past Western Connecticut, 2-0, in the fourth game of the 2005 Little East Conference Softball Tournament. McLoughlin ups her record to 11-3 in the win. KSC will advance to face top-seeded Rhode Island College, which defeated fourth-seeded Southern Maine, 2-1, tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. Keene State improves to 29-6 overall, while the Colonials fall to 21-13-1. WCSU will face in-state rival and fifth-seeded Eastern Connecticut tomorrow at 10 a.m.

Sophomore right fielder Kari Gardner (Grafton, MA) provided the offense for Keene State, doubling in freshman Kaity Conklin (Selkirk, NY) in the second inning and scoring on a wild pitch in the fourth inning. Conklin was also solid offensively, going 3-for-3 in the win.

"Meghan is a veteran of the LEC Tournament and gave us a terrific performance today," said KSC Coach Charlie Beach. "We also got a very timely hit with Kari Gardner's double over the right fielder's head. There's very little room for error in these games."

Beach said he is concerned about bad weather forecasts for Saturday. "It was important for us to stay in the winners' bracket," Beach said. With the chance for bad weather, it could end up being a one elimination tournament."

WCSU junior starting pitcher Kristy Swanson (Danbury, CT) took the loss, falling to 2-4 on the season. Freshman second baseman Kristen Lugovich (West Haven, CT) went 2-for-3 in a losing effort.