KEENE, N.H. 5/9/10 – Sophomore Molly Rathbun demonstrated why she is an All-American at Owl Athletic Complex on Sunday.  The sophomore from Hebron, Conn., tossed a complete-game five-hitter with 12 strikeouts and hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to lead top seed Eastern Connecticut State University to a 1-0 win over second seed Keene State College and the program's first Little East Conference softball championship.

            “I knew one swing could make a difference either way,” said KSC Coach Charlie Beach.   

            With the victory, Eastern Conn. (32-4-1) receives the LEC's automatic berth to the NCAA tournament while Keene State (26-14-1), which came out of the loser's bracket to reach the championship round of the tournament, will await a possible at-large NCAA berth or return to defend its ECAC New England crown.

            Sophomore Courtney Savoie (Stratham, N.H.) and Rathbun hooked up in the pitching duel. Savoie kept the Warriors off-balance, allowing one run on seven hits with one strikeout and two walks.  Savoie said it was the best game she's pitched all season.  “I just tried to work the corners, keep my spin tight, and induce a lot of pop-ups,” she said.  “One pitch determined the game.  She hit that ball hard.”

            “I'm proud of my teammates.  They all played great,” Savoie added.  “The defense behind me was spectacular.  I couldn't ask for anything more.”

            Keene State had a couple opportunities to score, but couldn't get the key hit.  In the second, freshman Nicole Dupuis (Fitchburg, Mass.) and sophomore Samantha Pratt (Bristol, Conn.) both singled, but were left stranded.  The Owls also got two runners on base in the fifth inning.

            “Molly is a tough pitcher.  Give her credit,” said Beach.  “She shut us down and we couldn't get that big hit.”

            Rathbun's record improved to 23-1 with the win.

            Savoie (9-5) got out of a huge jam in the sixth inning when Rathbun led off with a double and moved to third on an infield single by sophomore Kassondra Silva (Hamden, Conn.).  With runners on first and third and nobody out, Silva was caught stealing, freshman Arielle Cooper (Mystic, Conn.) struck out and senior Kim Church (Farmington, Conn.) flied out to end the threat.

            Rathbun, who just missed a home run in the sixth, didn't miss her next time at bat, leading off the eighth inning with a tower drive over the fence in centerfield for her ninth home run of the season.  

            After the game Beach told his players to hold their heads up.  “They played a great game and got beat by a really good team,” he said.  “They represented Keene State and the conference very well.”

            Pratt, who doubled in the fourth, had two of the Owls' five hits.

            Sophomore Rosie Manzo (Hudson, Mass.) had two hits for the Warriors.

            ECSU Coach Diana Pepin, who earned her 200th career victory, and the Warriors will find out their NCAA opponent when the field is announced later today. 

            Keene State was looking for its fifth LEC title. They won the championship in 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2005.