WILLIMANTIC, CONN. - Sophomore catcher Stephanie Lavado (Wallingford, Conn.) delivered a pinch hit two run double in the top of the eighth inning to lead the fourth seeded Keene State softball team to a 5-2 win over third seed Western Conn. in Thursday's first day action of the 2008 Little East Conference softball tournament being played in Willimantic, Conn.

            Keene State (23-10) will place second seed R.I. College on Friday at 3 p.m.  RIC defeated fifth seed Southern Maine 6-3 in its opening game.

            The two teams headed into the top of the eight with the scored knotted at two-all.  Senior shortstop Colleen Ferguson (Sussex, N.J.) opened the inning with a single down the left field line.  She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior Kaity Conklin (Selkirk, N.Y.).  Following a walk to senior Julia May (Deep River, Conn.) Lavado, pinch hitting for senior Liz Mroczka (Rocky Hill, Conn.), doubled to right center to put KSC up 4-2.  The Owls added an insurance run when freshman Ashley Annis (Gilford, N.H.), who pinch ran for Lavado, came home on a wild pitch.

            KSC pitcher Ashlee Nicholson (Swanzey, N.H.) got the side in order in the bottom of the inning.

            The Owls took a 1-0 lead in the first on a when junior Jenna Patnode (Surry, N.H.), who reached on an error, came home on the second miscue of the inning by the Colonials.

            KSC added a run in the third, when Patnode opened the inning with a single and came around on a RBI single through the right side by Katie Allenson (Clifton Park, N.Y.).

            The Colonials tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the seventh.  Cortney Romyns had a RBI tripled and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Megan Brunell.

            Patnode and May had two hits each in the game.

            Nicholson (12-5) went the distance, giving up two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and two walks.

            Romyns (6-2), in relief of starter Shelby Sliie, took the loss for WCSU.