Box Score MANSFIELD, Conn. – Top-seeded Eastern Connecticut State University scored all of its runs in its final two at-bats – batting around in each frame -- to wipe out a one-run deficit and went on to its 14th consecutive Little East Conference softball tournament victory, 7-3, over fourth-seeded Keene State College Friday afternoon at the Eastern Softball Field.
With its second tournament victory, three-time defending tourney champion Eastern (28-12) advances in winners' bracket play Friday at 7 p.m. against the winner of Friday's second game between second-seeded Plymouth State University and third-seeded Western Connecticut State University. That winner will advance to Saturday play as the only unbeaten team in the double-elimination tournament, which initially included six teams.
Keene State (21-16) is eliminated in two straight tournament games for the second time in three years. The Owls dropped a 1-0 opening decision to Western Connecticut Thursday.
Batting 4-5-6 in the order, junior leftfielder Megan Godwin (Manchester, Conn.), senior second baseman Kelly Paterson (Southington, Conn.) and sophomore DP Shannon Martin (Wethersfield, Conn.) each drove in runs in both the sixth and seventh innings.
Keene freshman pitcher Mariah Crisp (Greenland, N.H.) carried a one-hit shutout into the sixth before the first six batters reached safely in a three-run Eastern inning. Godwin tied the game with a bases-loaded bloop single down the left field line on an 0-2 pitch, Paterson put the Warriors ahead for good with a solid single to left, and Martin was walked with the bases loaded to make it 3-1.
The Warriors tacked on four more in the top of the seventh on five hits, a suicide squeeze and walk to move out to a 7-1 lead. Senior third baseman Arielle Cooper (Mystic, Conn.) and junior centerfielder Mattie Brett (Waterford, Conn.) began the rally with singles, Godwin plated the first with a suicide squeeze, Paterson another with a double on an 0-2 pitch, and Martin followed with a run-scoring single. Junior catcher Megan Bondy (Mystic, Conn.) knocked in the final run of the inning with a single.
Eastern sophomore Erin Miller (Waterford, Conn.) won her seventh straight decision. Miller (13-2) pitched into the seventh inning and was charged with all three Keene runs on five hits. She fanned two and walked one.
Cooper broke the program's season hit record that she shared with Trish Wodatch with her 70th career hit leading off the sixth. Cooper reached safely four times with three hits and a walk. Paterson also had two hits.
Two of Keene's runs came on leadoff home runs. Freshman rightfielder Anna Glassman (East Granby, Conn.) provided Crisp with a 1-0 lead with her shot in the third and senior catcher Nicole Dupuis (Fitchburg, Mass.) knocked in the Owls' second run of the game in a two-run seventh inning that chased Miller in favor of Martin. No Keene batter had more than one hit.
(Courtesy ECSU Sports Information)
