PROVIDENCE,R.I 5/6/05-Second-seeded Keene State College pounded out 13 hits and scored eight runs as the Owls defeated top seed and tournament host Rhode Island College, 8-0, at the 2005 Little East Conference Softball Tournament.

The Owls, who are 30-6 overall, advance to the championship round in this double elimination tourney, while Rhode Island College will play the winner of the fifth-seeded Eastern Connecticut and sixth-seeded Plymouth State tomorrow at 10 a.m. KSC will play the winner of that game at noon.

Senior starting pitcher Meghan McLoughlin (Brattleboro, VT) blanked RIC, allowing two hits and a total of four baserunners, while striking out ten, to improve her record to 12-3. McLoughlin shutout third-seeded Western Connecticut, 2-0, yesterday, with a four-hit, ten strikeout performance. Junior second baseman Sarah Campbell (Auburn, MA) was 4-for-4 with two runs scored, one RBI and two doubles. Freshman catcher Melissa Scata (Medway, MA) broke the game open in the top of the fifth with a two-RBI triple. She went 2-for-4 with one run scored and three RBI. Freshman first baseman Ashlee Nicholson (Swanzey, NH) was 2-for-2 with a run scored and two RBI.

RIC sophomore starting pitcher Nicole Riley (North Providence, RI) took the loss, falling to 10-6 on the season. Riley was lifted for freshman pitcher Heidi Eichler (Madison, CT) after three innings, then returned to pitch the sixth and seventh frames. Both pitchers gave up four runs apiece.