NORTHAMPTON, MASS -  The Smith College Pioneers advanced to the winners bracket of the ECAC New England Softball Championship as they defeated Keene State 1-0 in extra innings. 

KSC had scoring opportunities in the second and fourth but left two runners stranded in both innings.  With the game scoreless after seven, the international tie-breaking rule went into effect with each team beginning the inning with a runner on second base. 

In the top of the ninth with one out and runners on second and third, Caroline Kurkowski (Niskayuna, N.Y.) flew out deep to left and the runner on third was thrown out at the plate.  Smith's Katie Maroney (Santa Clarita, CA) then struck out her 10th player of the game to end the inning.

Sarah Beaudry (Springfield, Mass.) started the bottom of the ninth on second for the Pioneers and scored the game-winning run on a throwing error by the Owls. 

Maroney picked up her 16th win of the season for the Pioneers giving up four hits while fanning 10 and walking but one.  Meghan McLoughlin (Brattleboro, Vt.) gave up just two hits and struck out eight in the loss for the Owls.

Abby Collis (Wynantskill, N.Y.), Tiffany Underhill (Eastham, Mass.), Adria Reynolds (Portsmouth, N.H.), and Kari Gardner (Grafton, Mass.) each had hits for KSC.  

GAME #2:
The Bears of Coast Guard defeated Keene State, 2-1, at the ECAC New England Softball Championship in Northampton on Saturday. 

With the loss, the Owls were eliminated from the tournament and conclude its season at 29-12. 

In the bottom of the fourth, Meagan Schoenhardt (Sacramento, CA) singled to right for Coast Guard and Stephanie Adams (Pasadena, MD) walked.  With two runners on, Stephanie Kimmel (San Antonio, TX) singled batting in Schoenhardt to give the Bears a 1-0 lead. 

The Owls answered in the sixth on a double by Adria Reynolds (Portsmouth, N.H.) who scored on a single by Abby Collis (Wynantskill, N.Y.). 

Adrian Harris (Hartfield, Va.) led off the seventh for Coast Guard with a single and scored the winning run for the Bears on a hit by Beth Newton (Woodstock, Ga.).

Jen Paulson (Richmond, R.I.) registered her 14th win of the season giving up six hits and fanning six.  With the win, the Bears set a new school record with 30 victories.

Coast Guard will face Southern Maine Sunday (11 a.m.) at Smith College. 

(Courtesy of Smith College Sports Information)