Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 MANSFIELD, Conn.--Sophomore Mariah Crisp tossed two complete games, striking out a total of 16 batters to lead the Keene State College softball team to a 3-2 win over Western Connecticut State University and a 5-2 win over Rhode Island College in the Little East Conference tournament on Saturday.
The Owls advance to the title game, and will play either Western Connecticut State or Rhode Island College at noon on Sunday. The Colonials and Anchorwomen will play in an elimination game at 10 am. Should the WCSU/RIC winner defeat Keene State at noon, there will be a winner-take-all-game at 2 p.m. The last team left standing will receive the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship.
KSC will be looking to add to tournament titles won in 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2005. The Owls also made NCAA tournament appearances in 2007 and 2012.
Western Connecticut State
Sara Bracken delivered the go-ahead hit for the second straight game in the bottom of the fourth, and Crisp struck out nine as KSC stung the Colonials, who had won both matchups during the regular season.
The Colonials had opened the scoring in the third when Kristen Sliman walked, and stole second, and took third on a sacrifice bunt. Jessica Caturano lifted a sacrifice fly to center to get Sliman across. KSC tied the score in the bottom half when Stephanie Long singled, moved to second on an error, and came around on Aliza Guerrero's single to left-center.
WCSU took the lead back in the next inning when Michaela Roche singled in Lydia Walter, only to see the Owls respond in the bottom half again, loading the bases on two singles and a fielder's choice. Bracken rapped a single to right-center to bring in Kayla Votto and Rachel Boynton, and that was all Crisp needed.
After setting WCSU down in order in the sixth, Crisp got out of trouble in the sixth. Julia Bocek led off with a single, and pinch-runner Alexandra Lafemina moved to third on a pair of sacrifice bunts, but Crisp struck out Roche to end the inning. Crisp slammed the door shut in the seventh, striking out Maegan Rodriguez and Sliman before getting Wojtkiewicz to ground out to third to end the game.
Rhode Island College
Crisp struck out seven more, and Heather Pelletier hit her first home run of the season as KSC never trailed. Sara Bracken singled in the first, and Morgan Fallon reached on an error before Pelletier crushed a three run homer to left field to put the Owls in front. The Anchorwomen responded with two runs in the bottom of the first with a two-run shot off the bat of Stacy Pokora.
RIC never got closer, as Crisp retired 11 straight before allowing a single to Abigail Francis in the fifth. An error and a sacrifice bunt moved Francis to third, but Crisp struck out Lauren DiScuillo to get out of the jam.
The Owls put the game out of reach with two insurance runs in the seventh. Bracken led off with a walk, followed by a single from Guerrero. Both runners moved up on Pelletier's ground out, and Katie Newell picked up two RBI when her bloop to right-center fell between the outfielders.
Justine Thoma reached on a single with one out in the seventh, but Crisp struck out Lauren Duvall and induced Francis to pop out to second base to end the game.
$website.include("FBHTML")
