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Recently in Softball Category
She becomes program's first to gain first-team recognition at 3B
Photos by Courtney Weber
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Eastern Connecticut State University senior third baseman Arielle Cooper (Mystic) has become the first third baseman in program history to earn first-team All-America honors when she repeated national honors at that position by the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association (NFCA).
A second-team All-America selection at third base as a junior, Cooper becomes the program's first first-team All-America selection at third base in the program's 37-year history and is the first full-time position player to earn first-team honors since outfielder Leanne Shoop in 1990.
"Arielle has made her mark on Eastern softball -- one which she deserves -- and one which I believe makes her best third baseman ever at Eastern," noted 12th-year Eastern head coach Diana Pepin. "She is a tremendous athlete who was driven to be successful. She was a competitor, with the heart of a champion. Our program has been elevated because of her work ethic and passion for the sport," added Pepin of Cooper, who set numerous season and career records this season en route to first-team NFCA All-New England Region honors for the second straight season and 2013 Little East Conference Player-of-the-Year and Eastern Female Athlete-of-the-Year plaudits. "What Arielle has done this season in terms of hitting is unbelievable, and being regarded as one of the best in the country is truly an honor."
Batting primarily leadoff, Cooper put the finishing touches on a sterling career and brilliant final season. She led Eastern in virtually every offensive category, among them batting (.538), slugging (1.076), total bases (142), on-base percentage (.629), runs (61), hits (71), RBI (43), home runs (16), doubles (13), and walks (34). Her marks for batting, slugging, total bases, on-base percentage, runs, hits and home runs represented program season records, and her final season batting average was 99 points above her previous-season best, set in 2012.
After setting the current consecutive game hitting streak of 33 as a junior, Cooper hit safely in 26 games this year. After failing to hit safely in one game that stopped her 33-game streak in 2012, Cooper had a hit in each of the team's final four games that year and in the first 26 this year, giving her at least one hit in 63 of 64
games in that stretch.
Cooper finished as the program's all-time leader in career batting (.406) and slugging average (.739), on-base percentage (.474), hits (221), runs (176), doubles (40), home runs (40), and total bases (403), was second in games (177), at-bats (545), and assists (310), third in RBI (129), and fourth in walks (68). Her assist total is the highest among fulltime third baseman.
Through regional tournament competition, Cooper is ranked second nationally in Division III in on-base percentage, third in slugging, fourth in home runs, home runs per game and batting, sixth in runs per game and seventh in walks and toughest to strike out. Cooper fanned twice in 170 plate appearances this season.
The four-year starter appeared in all 177 games in her career, starting all 89 in each of her two All-America seasons and all but two in her career. She helped the team average 36.5 wins per game and compile an overall record of 146-30-1 (83.0 percent), qualify for three NCAA tournaments, win two regional titles and compete in two national tournaments, capture four Little East Conference regular-season (51-5 record) and three LEC tournament championships.
 Cooper named to NFCA regional team for third time in her career
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Eastern Connecticut State University softball program was well-represented with five selections - the most of any institution - on the 2013 National Fastpitch Coaches' Association (NFCA) All-New England Region Team.
Senior All-America third baseman Arielle Cooper (Mystic) was named to the all-region team for the third time and was joined on the first team by sophomore DP Sam Rossetti (Shelton) and third-team picks Kelly Paterson (Southington), a senior, and juniors Mattie Brett (Waterford), and Megan Godwin (Manchester). All third-team picks are selected on an "at-large" basis. Paterson played primarily first and second base this season and Godwin second base and outfield. Brett started all but one game in center field.
Fifteen players were named to each of the first, second and third teams, with first-team honorees eligible for NFCA Division III All-America consideration. That team will be announced Thursday.
Cooper was a first-team repeater, while Godwin was voted to the third team for the second time in three years. As a freshman in 2011, Godwin was the team's starting shortstop.
All five selections were earlier named first-team All-Little East Conference, with Cooper additionally recognized as LEC Player-of-the-Year.
All except Rossetti started all 42 games for Eastern (28-14), which claimed its fourth straight LEC regular-season title and finished third in the LEC tournament.
Batting primarily leadoff, Cooper put the finishing touches on a sterling career and brilliant final season. She led Eastern in virtually every offensive category, among them batting (.538), slugging (1.076), total bases (142), on-base percentage (.629), runs (61), hits (71), RBI (43), home runs (16), doubles (13), and walks (34). Her marks for batting, slugging, total bases, on-base percentage, runs, hits and home runs represented program season records, and her final season batting average was 99 points above her previous-season best, set last year.
Through post-season conference tournament competition, Cooper is ranked second nationally in on-base percentage, third in slugging, fourth in home runs, home runs per game and batting, and seventh in walks and runs per game.
Paterson batted a career-high .356 this season to push her career average over .300 to .309. She was second to Cooper with 42 RBI - more than twice as many as her previous high total in a season. Playing primarily first base, but also second, she completed her career ranked fifth all-time with 642 putouts and tied for sixth with a .984 fielding average.
Brett was second to Cooper in most offensive categories, batting .378 (73 percentage points better than her sophomore season) with 41 runs, 51 hits and 12 stolen bases (in 12 attempts).
In her first season as a starter, Rossetti also played first base and right field and batted .368 - third best on the squad - with five home runs and 35 RBI. Godwin started 20 games in the middle infield and 16 in left field. She posted career-highs in batting (.344), hits (42), RBI (26), runs (28) and on-base percentage (.434).
In the last six years, 22 Eastern players have been named to the all-region team, with this year's total of five equaling the most since six were tabbed in 1993.
A total of 21 institutions were represented with at least one all-region pick, with regional champion Tufts University, as well as Wellesley College and Springfield College all garnering four. The Little East Conference was also represented by first-team pitcher Mariah Crisp of Keene State, second-team second baseman Sue Killilea of UMass Boston, second-team selection Julia Bocek (at-large/1b) of Western Connecticut, and third-teamer Allie Sabith (pitcher/at-large) of Western Connecticut.
Fifteen are recognized with season-ending LEC awards in three sports
 NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass - Eastern Connecticut State University softball senior Arielle Cooper (Mystic) and head coach Diana Pepin and women's lacrosse senior Daniela Marchitto (Orange) were recognized with major awards in the Little East Conference season-ending awards program in the sports of softball, women's and men's lacrosse, with a total of 15 individuals in three sports being honored.
At left: Arielle Cooper
Cooper became the softball program's second straight Player-of-the-Year recipient (third overall) and 12th-year head coach Pepin was awarded Coach-of-the-Year honors for the fifth time in the last eight years, while Marchitto was selected women's lacrosse Midfielder-of-the-Year - an award instituted in 2011.
All-America junior midfielder Mike Devine (Cheshire) and senior faceoff specialist Josh Dubinsky (Woodstock) were named to the All-LEC first team, headlining a collection of six all-conference selections for the men's lacrosse team, with senior defenseman Nick Stoop (Crofton, MD) and junior attacks Mike Jordan (Cheshire) and Trevor Morrissette (Bedford, NH) and junior midfielder Tyler Fresen (Newington) garnering second-team All-LEC accolades.
 All six of the softball teams All-LEC picks received first-team recognition. Cooper was named to the team for the third time in her career (second straight season to the first team), and was joined by senior first baseman Kelly Paterson (Southington), junior centerfielder Mattie Brett (Waterford), junior utility player Megan Godwin (Manchester) and sophomore DP Sam Rossetti (Shelton).
At left: Daniela Marchitto
Paterson was a second-team pick at the utility position as a junior while Brett and Rossetti were first-time honorees. Godwin was recognized as LEC Rookie-of-the-Year as a freshman. As a freshman at Endicott College in 2011, Brett was an honorable mention all-conference pick at shortstop. All except Rossetti started all 42 games for Eastern (28-14), which claimed its fourth straight LEC regular-season title and finished third in the LEC tournament.
Marchitto, a four-time all-conference pick and former Offensive Player-of-the-Year and Rookie-of-the-Year in soccer, earned first-team recognition in lacrosse for the third straight year. She was joined on the first team by senior defender Rachel Meotti (Glastonbury) and senior midfielder Christina Rully (Orange), her former high school teammate. Marchitto was preceded by seven former LEC Player-of-the-Year selections since 2005, four on defense and three on offense.
After transferring from the Division II level, Meotti earned All-LEC laurels in each of her three seasons with the Warriors. She was voted to the second team as a sophomore and junior.
Rully was cited for the first time in her four-year career.
Batting primarily leadoff, Cooper put the finishing touches on a sterling career and brilliant final season. She currently leads all conference players in virtually every offensive category, among them batting (.538), slugging (1.076), total bases (142), on-base percentage (.629), runs (61), hits (71), RBI (43), home runs (16), doubles (13), and walks (34). Her marks for batting, slugging, total bases, on-base percentage, runs, hits and home runs represented program season records, and her final season batting average was 99 points above her previous-season best, set last year.
Below: Diana Pepin
 Through post-season tournament competition, Cooper is ranked second nationally in on-base percentage, third in slugging, fourth in home runs, home runs per game and batting, and seventh in walks and runs per game.
Paterson batted a career-high .356 this season to push her career average over .300 to .309. She was second to Cooper with 42 RBI - more than twice as many as her previous high total in a season. Playing primarily first base, but also second, she completed her career ranked fifth all-time with 642 putouts and tied for sixth with a .984 fielding average.
Brett was second to Cooper in most offensive categories, batting .378 (73 percentage points better than her sophomore season) with 41 runs, 51 hits and 12 stolen bases (in 12 attempts).
In her first season as a starter, Rossetti also played first base and right field and batted .368 - third best on the squad - with five home runs and 35 RBI. Godwin started 20 games in the middle infield and 16 in left field. She posted career-highs in batting (.344), hits (42), RBI (26), runs (28) and on-base percentage (.434).
Marchitto is tied for fourth in the conference in goals (55) and is fourth in points (66) and leads the club in scoring for the second straight year. With Marchitto, Eastern (7-11) became only the second No. 5 seed to win the LEC playoffs, with road victories over three higher-seeded teams: No. 4 seed Western Connecticut, top-seeded Plymouth State University, and No. 2 University of Southern Maine. Marchitto needs two goals to become the third 200-goal career scorer in program history and her 252 points ranks her second.
Meotti ranks fourth in the conference with 57 ground balls and also leads Eastern with 36 caused turnovers and is second with 45 draw controls - all season-bests. In the LEC playoffs, Meotti led Eastern with 13 ground balls and ten caused turnovers, won four draws and chipped in two assists.
Rully has contributed six goals, six assists, 35 ground balls and 19 caused turnovers.
The women's lacrosse team faces 13-time national champion College of New Jersey Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the first round of the NCAA tournament at Ewing, NJ.
As the No. 2 seed, the men's lacrosse team (10-7) defended its 2012 Little East playoff title with a 9-8 victory at top-seeded Keene State College Sunday - its seventh straight victory since a 3-7 start.
Devine was named to the All-LEC first team for the second straight season, third time in all, while Dubinsky repeated as a first-team pick at the specialist position. Fresen repeated second-team mention and Morrissette and Jordan gained recognition for the first time.
Devine has 33 goals and 16 assists and is one of 11 100-goal scorers in program history. Dubinsky has won 52.6 percent of his faceoffs (173-329) with a team-high 102 ground balls, recording more than 100 for the second straight season. Ranking second all-time with 328 ground balls, Dubinsky is third all-time in faceoffs won, with 469.
After managing only 14 goals and 23 points in his first two season combineds, Jordan leads the LEC in points (66) and goals (46) this year, with seven of his goals and four assists coming in two LEC playoff victories. Morrissette shares second on the team with Devine with 33 points and has 47 points, while Fresen leads all Eastern players with 24 assists and is second to Jordan with 52 points.
While Eastern never allowed a conference opponent to score double-digit goals, Stoop was the team's only All-LEC defenseman chose to the all-star squad. Playing on his first LEC playoff champion this year after missing all of 2012 with a back injury, Stoop picked up 21 ground balls and caused 12 turnovers this year. Stoop is in his second year as an active player after transferring from the Division I level.
The Warriors visit Western New England University in the NCAA first round Wednesday at 4 p.m.
The LEC baseball awards will be announced next Tuesday following the completion of this week's conference tournament.
Three-time defending champion Warriors bounced after one-run losses
MANSFIELD, Conn. -- Behind the complete-game four-hit pitching of junior Michelle Sylvestre, fifth-seeded Rhode Island College avenged two regular-season losses with a 2-1 victory over top-seeded Eastern Connecticut State University that eliminated the Warriors from the 2013 Little East Conference Softball Tournament at the Eastern Softball Field Saturday.
At right: Christine Akcer
After outscoring its first two tournament opponents by a 12-4 margin, Eastern (28-14) was handcuffed by third-seeded Western Connecticut State University freshman Alexandra Sabith in a 1-0 loss - only its second shutout loss this year -- in the winners' bracket final Friday night, then was shut down by Sylvestre Saturday afternoon and eliminated from the tournament after three consecutive championships.
Western went on to its first LEC title in nine years with a 1-0 victory over Rhode Island (23-23) Saturday afternoon after the Anchorwomen had forced a deciding game with a 6-0 triumph earlier Saturday.
Eastern senior Christine Akcer (Milford) threw a complete-game five-hitter in the loss. Akcer (7-5) did not allow an earned run and walked only one, but a two-out error in the first inning opened the door to both of Rhode Island's runs and the Warriors played catchup the rest of the day.
At left: Alyssa Hancock
Freshman shortstop Alyssa Hancock (Waterford) slugged her third home run of the year with one out in the first for the Warriors, who threatened several times thereafter but could not break through again. After allowing Hancock's home run, Sylvestre gave up a two-out single to junior second baseman Jen Tamindzija (Malden, MA) in the second, a leadoff single by No. 9 batter Stephanie Johnson (Southington) in the third and senior first baseman Kelly Paterson's (Southington) one-out single in the seventh. An infield throwing error in the seventh moved Eastern junior leftfielder Megan Godwin (Manchester) to third base, but Sylvestre got an infield ground out to end the game.
While Eastern was able to tee off on Keene State College freshman ace Mariah Crisp in a second-game win on Friday, it couldn't produce against Sabith or Sylvestre. Sabith had thrown a complete-game four-hitter in Western's 7-4 victory over Eastern and a split of the regular-season doubleheader. Although the Warriors had soundly beaten Rhode Island twice during the regular season, they faced Sylvestre only briefly in a two-inning relief appearance in the first game.
While Akcer and sophomores Shannon Martin (Wethersfield) and Erin Miller (Waterford) were effective pitchers in the tournament for Eastern, the Warriors batted just .250 in four games after compiling a .343 batting average in the regular season.
Senior third baseman Arielle Cooper (Mystic), Martin and Johnson were the only starters to bat .300, and the Warriors were limited to only four extra-base hits after averaging nearly three per game during the regular season.
Western will be awarded the automatic bid granted the LEC tournament champion, and Eastern will await word on an at-large selection when the bids are extended Monday.
Warriors split on second day of tournament, must win three Saturday
MANSFIELD, Conn. - Western Connecticut State University freshman pitcher Alexandra Sabith threw a complete-game shutout to lift the third-seeded Colonials past top-seeded Eastern Connecticut State University, 1-0, in the winners' bracket final of the 2013 Little East softball championship tournament Friday afternoon at the Eastern Softball Field. Western scored its lone run of the ballgame in the first inning, while Sabith kept the Warriors' offense scoreless as the Colonials ended Eastern's streak of 14 consecutive LEC tournament victories.
At right: Junior centerfielder Mattie Brett ranges to her right to haul in this fly ball in the third inning of Friday's 7-3 win over Keene State College. Brett had four outfield putouts in the game. (Photo by Courtney Weber).
The Colonials (22-21) will advance to the championship round at 2 p.m. Saturday, while Eastern (28-13) will square off against fifth-seeded Rhode Island College (21-22) in an elimination game at noon.
If the Warriors stay alive against Rhode Island, they must defeat Western twice later Saturday in order to annex their fourth consecutive championship. Western has won three titles, most recently in 2004.
Since 2001, Eastern Connecticut, Rhode Island College, and Western Connecticut have combined to capture 10 of the past 12 conference softball championships.
The 1-0 shutout was the second in three tournament games for Western, the first coming in its tournament opener Thursday against Keene. Sabith gained that victory as well, pitching the final 2 1/3 innings. Earlier Friday, the Colonials eliminated second-seeded Plymouth State, 8-2.
Western sophomore third baseman Nina Wojtkiewicz laced a line drive to left field and advanced to second on a defensive miscue. With one out, the Colonials pushed Wojtkiewicz to third with a ground out to first base. The small-ball strategy paid off, when Eastern starting pitcher sophomore Erin Miller (Waterford.) uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Wojtkiewicz to score from third. The Colonials strung consecutive hits together to chase Miller after just two-thirds of an inning.
That was be all the offense needed as Sabith hurled a complete-game gem, sending the Warriors to only their second shutout loss this year, both coming in the last five games. The rookie held the Warriors to just five hits without issuing a walk, while striking out five. She retired the first eight batters she faced, while setting retiring Eastern in order in the fifth and sixth.
Facing their first loss of the double-elimination tournament, the Warriors mounted a charge against Sabith in the bottom of the seventh. Junior leftfielder Megan Godwin (Manchester, Conn.) ripped a single into right-centerfield to start the frame. She was pushed over with a sacrifice bunt to place Eastern's first runner in scoring position. With two outs, freshman shortstop Alyssa Hancock (Waterford) hit a single through the box, but Western centerfielder Ashlie Morris threw a strike to the plate. The strong threw caused Godwin to slam on the brakes halfway down the threw baseline. Freshman catcher Erin Weber made an accurate throw to Wojtkiewicz to tag out a retreating Godwin for the final out of the game.
Eastern sophomore Shannon Martin (Wethersfield, Conn.) kept the Warriors within striking distance, throwing four and a third innings of scoreless relief. Senior Christine Akcer (Milford) retired six of the seven batters she faced.
After opening the tournament Thursday with a 5-1 win over sixth-seeded UMass Boston, Eastern rallied late to eliminate Keene State, 7-3, earlier Friday.
Eastern 7, Keene State 3
Eastern 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.
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), senior second baseman Kelly Paterson (Southington) and sophomore DP Shannon Martin (Wethersfield) each drove in runs in both the sixth and seventh innings.
Keene freshman pitcher Mariah Crisp 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) and junior centerfielder Mattie Brett (Waterford) 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) knocked in the final run of the inning with a single.
Eastern sophomore Erin Miller (Waterford.) 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 provided Crisp with a 1-0 lead with her shot in the third and senior catcher Nicole Dupuis 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.
Little East Conference Softball Tournament
Game 1: Eastern Conn. 5, Massachusetts Boston 1
 MANSFIELD, Conn. - Three-time defending Little East Conference softball tournament champion and No. 1 seed Eastern Connecticut State University got RBIs from five different people in opening the 2013 LEC tournament with a 5-1 victory over sixth-seeded University of Massachusetts Boston Thursday afternoon at the Eastern Softball Field.
Sophomore righty Erin Miller (Waterford, Conn.) pitched into the seventh inning to gain her sixth straight decision and send Eastern (27-12) into a winners' bracket game Friday at noon against No. 4 Keene State College (21-15), which lost a 1-0 first-round game to No. 3 Western Connecticut State University (20-21) later Thursday.
UMass Boston (15-27) was eliminated from the tournament later Thursday in a 2-0 loss to No. 5 Rhode Island College (20-22).
Eastern has won 13 straight LEC tournament games since being swept in 2009 in losses to Western Connecticut and Rhode Island College.
Eastern, which swept UMass Boston in its northern opener at Mansfield March 30, moved out to a 5-0 lead before the Beacons finally broke through against Miller with two out in the seventh on an RBI double by junior rightfielder Lyndsey Capra (Lowell, MA). Miller spaced four hits and didn't walk a batter while fanning four.
Freshman shortstop Alyssa Hancock's (Waterford) two-out RBI single plated sophomore DP Shannon Martin (Wethersfield) for the first run of the game in the second after Martin had doubled. Sophomore first baseman Sam Rossetti's (Shelton) ground ball and junior cleanup hitter Megan Godwin's (Manchester) single pushed the lead to 3-0 in the third and an opening infield error helped Eastern add two more in the fifth, with senior centerfielder Arielle Cooper's (Mystic) RBI triple and junior centerfielder Mattie Brett's (Waterford) sacrifice fly completing the scoring against complete-game sophomore loser Michelle Zullo (Everett, MA).
Martin, who was summoned to record the final out in place of Miller, was Eastern's only player with more than one hit, with two. Miller and Martin did not allow a UMass player to record more than one hit.
Game 2: Plymouth State U. 6, Rhode Island College 4
Junior shortstop Bekah Jackson (Nashua, N.H.) drove in runs with a home run and triple and second-seeded Plymouth State University led from start to finish in a 6-4 victory over fifth-seeded Rhode Island College.
By avenging two regular-season losses to Rhode Island (19-22) and defeating the Anchorwomen in the first round for the second straight season, Plymouth (25-15) advanced in the winners' bracket Friday at 2 p.m. against Western.
Five of Plymouth's 13 hits off two Rhode Island pitchers went for extra bases. In addition to Jackson's run-producing home run and triple, junior catcher Sam Hebert (Manchester, N.H.) unloaded a two-run home run in the first to give the Panthers the early two-run lead, and junior first baseman Jackie Digman (Burlington, Mass.) belted a leadoff home run in the third to make it 3-1. Sophomore centerfielder Cynthia Barata (New Fairfield, Conn.) also opened the fourth inning with a double and raced home on Jackson's triple. The triple was the 13th of the season for Jackson, who leads Division III in that category.
Batting cleanup, Hebert reached safely four times for Plymouth with three hits and a walk.
Trailing 5-2, Rhode Island rallied in the sixth against sophomore reliever Whitney Roberts (Chocorua, N.H.), scoring twice on four hits, with senior second baseman Marisa Jandreau (Plainville, Conn.) plating one with a single and junior cleanup hitter Stacy Pokora (Wilton, Conn.) driving in the second with a sacrifice fly. Jackson's eighth home run leading off the sixth, however, re-stored a two-run lead for Plymouth.
Roberts gained her first save of the year for Plymouth in support of junior starter Nora Galvin (Windham, N.H). Galvin carried a 5-1 lead into the fifth but leadoff singles by Pokora and sophomore third baseman Justina Thoma (Canterbury, Conn.) chased Galvin.
Thoma collected four of Rhode Island's hits, with senior leadoff hitter Jessica Borden (Lincoln, R.I.) registering three. The Anchorwomen stranded 12 batters, two or more in four innings.
Game 3: Western Conn. 1, Keene State College 0
Senior catcher Alison Russo (Danbury, Conn.) drove in the only run of the game with a one-out double in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift third-seeded Western Connecticut State University to victory over fourth-seeded Keene State.
With the win, Western advanced to play Plymouth State Friday at 2 p.m. in a winners' bracket game, while Keene State plays an elimination game Friday at noon against top-seeded Eastern Connecticut.
Western managed only two hits through six innings against Keene freshman pitcher Mariah Crisp (Greenald, N.H.) before breaking through with the winning runs in the seventh. No. 3 hitter Michaela Roche (Bristol, Conn.) and sophomore first baseman and cleanup hitter Julia Bocek (Southington, Conn.) singled to open the inning before Russo drilled a 1-2 pitch to center to score Roche easily from second.
Freshmen Emily Cintorino (Bristol, Conn.) and Alexandra Sabith (Meriden, Conn.) combined on a four-hitter for Western. Sabith took over with two out in the fifth and got a ground ball to third to leave runners at the corners in a scoreless game. Sabith (10-7) retired the final seven batters in order to earn her third straight win.
Crisp (17-4), who had won her previous 11 decisions, allowed only five hits without a walk and struck out eight. Keene had baserunners in each of the first five innings but couldn't push across a run. Western threw out an attempted base-stealer in the third and got 5-4-3 double play to end the fourth. In the fifth, Keene put runners on the corners on a one-out single by Sophomore DP Samantha Nitso (Londonderry, N.H.) and a two-out single by freshman No. 9 hitter Anna Glassman (East Granby, Conn.), but Sabith came on to induce an inning-ending ground ball.
Game 4: Rhode Island College 2, Massachusetts Boston 0
Rhode Island College scored the only two runs of the game in the bottom of the fifth in to survive the losers' bracket game and advance and eliminate UMass Boston.
After dropping a 6-4 decision in its first-round game to second-seeded Plymouth State University earlier in the day, Rhode Island remained alive with the win over UMass Boston, which had lost a 5-1 decision earlier Thursday to top-seeded Eastern Connecticut.
Rhode Island was limited to one hit through the first three innings by UMass Boston freshman Emily Gray (New Bedford, Mass.), but got two-out singles in the fourth, then broke through in the fifth on an RBI single by senior No. 3 hitter Marisa Jandreau (Plainville, Conn.) and a run-scoring ground ball by junior cleanup hitter Stacy Pokora (Wilton, Conn.)
Junior Michelle Sylvestre (Warwick, R.I.) shut out UMass Boston for the second time in five days - her only two shutouts of the year -- giving up only six hits and no walks and striking out two. Sylvestre never gave up more than one hit or allowed more than one baserunner until the sixth, when the Beacons got a leadoff single by senior second baseman Sue Killilea (Abington, Mass.) on the first pitch of the frame and a two-out single by senior cleanup hitter Kelsey Souza (Braintree, Mass.). Sylvestre got a hard line drive to senior Emily Johnson (West Kingston, R.I.) at first to end the threat.
Six hitters had one hit each for the Anchorwomen, while Killilea and No. 8 hitter Kelsey Svenson (Oxford, Conn.) each had two hits for UMass.
On final day of regular season, Miller tosses opening-game shutout
WALTHAM, Mass. -- Sophomore Erin Miller (Waterford) won her fifth straight decision - tossing her third shutout in that stretch - to lift the Eastern Connecticut State University softball team to a 3-0 first-game victory on the way to a non-conference doubleheader split with Brandeis University Sunday afternoon at Marcus Field.
Above: Mattie Brett
In the second game, Brandeis (23-15) won for the first time over Eastern (26-12) in this six-game series, 7-3, scoring four times in the fourth on four hits and two infield errors to snap a tie in Eastern's final regular-season game.
Eastern ended the regular season having split its last four and five of its last seven doubleheaders after sweeping its first six twinbills of the season. The Warriors were not swept in the regular season and lost twice on one day only once -- on the fourth day of the season in Florida.
Senior third baseman Arielle Cooper (Mystic) extended season and career records for home runs with her 16th of the season and 40th of her career - a solo shot leading off the fifth inning of the first game which gave Eastern a 2-0 lead. Cooper also broke her third season record of the year when she scored the team's third run after singling with one out in the seventh. The run was her 57th of the year, breaking a 25-year-old record set by Mariann Shumbo.
At right: Erin Miller
Miller (11-2) scattered four singles en route to her fifth consecutive victory of the season. She fanned two and walked one. The righty retired the first nine batters in order -- seven of them on infield ground balls. Brandeis' hits came in their final three at-bats, a leadoff infield single in the fifth their first off Miller. The shutout was her third of the season - tops on the staff.
Junior centerfielder Mattie Brett (Waterford) singled and scored on senior second baseman Kelly Paterson's (Southington) two-out single to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Brandeis batting leader and leadoff hitter Amanda Genovese (.447) was hitless against Miller in the first game but collected three of her team's 11 hits and drove in two runs off three Eastern pitchers in the second game. Genovese ripped her first home run of the season for the first run of the second game with two out in the third inning and also stole her 50th and 51st bases of the season after reaching on a two-out infield throwing error in the fourth inning. The error accounted for the final two runs of the Judges' four-run inning.
Paterson's first home run of the year with one out in the fourth tied the second game and her sacrifice fly and an RBI single by sophomore pitcher Shannon Martin (Wethersfield) pulled Eastern to within 5-3 in the sixth. Brandeis added two insurance runs in the bottom of the inning when all five batters reached safely on a walk and four singles.
Brett had two hits in each game for Eastern and scored twice. Freshman shortstop Alyssa Hancock (Waterford) had three hits and Paterson and Cooper two each.
Top-seeded Eastern hosts the Little East Conference Tournament Thursday through Saturday, facing Massachusetts Boston in the first of four first-day games at noon at the Eastern Softball Field.
 As No. 1 seed, Warriors will host tournament beginning Thursday
Above: Seniors Christine Akcer (42), Kelly Paterson (9), Arielle Cooper (15) and Katie Sokoloski (16) were honored on Seniors' Day Saturday. (Photo by Courtney Weber).
At left: Shannon Martin gave up only one run on four hits in two relief appearances Saturday against Keene State.
LEC Tournament Central
MANSFIELD, Conn. -- Freshman Alyssa Hancock's (Waterford) suicide squeeze bunt allowed Megan Godwin (Manchester) to score the go-ahead run from third base in the bottom of the sixth inning, and freshman Taylor Smyth (Meriden) socked a three-run home run later in the frame to propel the Eastern Connecticut State University softball team to a 10-6 Little East Conference victory over Keene State College and a split of Saturday's doubleheader at the Eastern Softball Field. Keene won the opener, 2-1.
Western Connecticut State University's win over Plymouth State University in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday - prior to Eastern's second-game win -- guaranteed Eastern (25-11, 11-3) of the No. 1 seed in the LEC tournament, which runs Thursday through Saturday at the Eastern Softball Field. Eastern plays No. 6 seed Massachusetts Boston at noon in the first of four games on the first day. The double-elimination tournament includes six teams. The Warriors are three-time defending champions.
After Keene (21-14, 8-6 LEC) handed the Warriors their first home loss in 11 games in the opener - snapping a seven-game losing streak at the hands of Eastern - the Warriors dug out of an early 5-1 hole in the nightcap by scoring five times in the fourth. Keene tied the game with a run in the sixth before Eastern answered with four in the sixth on three hits, two walks and Hancock's suicide squeeze.
At left: Arielle Cooper and Katie Sokoloski were presented the 2013 Jeffrey W. Anderson Memorial Award between games of Saturday's doubleheader. At left is Keith Anderson, brother of the late Jeff Anderson, and at right is head coach Diana Pepin. (Photo by Courtney Weber).
Sam Rossetti (Shelton) and Godwin each drove in two runs in the second game. Rossetti had a two-run single in the fie-run fourth and Godwin singled in Eastern's first run in the bottom of the first after Keene had scored three times in its first at-bat, and also singled in the final run of the five-run fourth.
No. 3 hitter Jessica Fiorenza had four of Keene's ten hits - all singles -- in the second game. She scored the final run of the three-run first and added run-proudcing singles in the second and fourth.
Erin Miller (Waterford) won her fourth straight decision and tenth in 12 decisions this year for Eastern in the nightcap. Miller returned to start the third inning - and went the rest of the way --after being driven from the mound with two out in Keene's three-run first inning.
Batting .352 as a team, Eastern managed only four singles off Keene freshman Mariah Crisp in the first game. The Owls, who will open the LEC tournament at 4 p.m. against No. 3 Western Connecticut State University as the No. 4 seed, scored runs in the first and second innings in support of Crisp (17-3). Crisp did not allow a hit and only one baserunner through three innings. She fanned seven and walked one, allowing Eastern's run in the fifth on Shannon Martin's (Wethersfield) RBI single.
Sara Bracken's one-out double and No. 4 hitter Meryl Ragaini's two-out single gave the Owls a 1-0 lead in the first, and freshman leadoff hitter Stephanie Long's RBI single made it 2-0 in the second and spelled the end of the day for Eastern starter Christine Akcer (Milford).
Sophomore righty gives Warriors split for second time in two days
Above: Erin Miller; Below: Alyssa Hancock
 NEW LONDON, Conn. - For the second consecutive day, sophomore Erin Miller (Waterford) earned a complete-game victory to help the Eastern Connecticut State University softball team salvage a doubleheader split.
Thursday, Miller (9-2) went the distance for her eighth win in her last nine decision, allowing eight hits and no walks to guide Eastern (24-10) to an 8-2 victory over the U.S. Coast Guard (20-15) Academy at Nitchman Field and a split of a doubleheader between two of last year's NCAA regional tournament qualifiers.
In the opener, Coast Guard batted around and scored all three of its runs in the fourth inning, and freshman Kristine Kahl (13-6) pitched a complete-game four-hitter in the Bears' 3-1 victory.
In the second game, freshman DP Alicia White (Colchester) and senior first baseman Kelly Paterson (Southington) each drove in two runs and freshman ceneterfielder Alyssa Hancock (Waterford) reached safely three times with two hits and a walk, scored twice and knocked in one run.
Eastern scored three of its second-game runs on sacrifice flies by Paterson in the first inning and by junior shortstop Megan Godwin (Manchester) and junior second baseman Jen Tamindzija (Malden, MA) in the third.
On the day, Hancock and junior outfielder Mattie Brett (Waterford) each had three hits, with Hancock reaching four times and scoring three runs. Brett's double in the fourth inning of the nightcap was the only extra-base hit by either team.
Batting leadoff in the first game and third in the second game, senior third baseman Arielle Cooper (Mystic) was intentionally walked seven times in eight plate appearances. Cooper entered the game as the national leader in slugging , ranked second in home runs per game and on-base percentage and third in batting average. The seven freebies improved her on-base percentage to .674.
Miller had thrown a two-hit shutout in Wednesday's 4-0 Little East Conference victory over Western Connecticut State University to give the Warriors a split. This season, she has a 3.15 ERA and 30 strikeouts in a staff-high 73 1/3 innings after appearing in only four games in relief with a 1-0 record in 5 2/3 innings as a freshman.
In the first game, she was given an intentional pass leading off the game, another with two out and none on in the third inning of a scoreless game, bounced back to the mound with one out and none on and Eastern trailing 3-0 in the fifth, and was walked intentionally again with two out and a runner on first when the Warriors scored their only run in the seventh.
In the nightcap, she was walked with two on and none out when Eastern scored a run in the first inning, again with one on and none out in a four-run third inning when she scored her only run of the afternoon, was given a free pass with two on and one out in the team's two-run fourth, and was again walked with one on and one out in the sixth.
Eastern hosts Keene State College Saturday at 2 p.m. in a Little East Conference doubleheader.
Miller's two-hitter in nightcap provides 4-0 victory over Western Conn.
 DANBURY, Conn. -- Sophomore Erin Miller (Waterford) pitched a two-hit shutout in the second game of a doubleheader and freshmen Alicia White (Colchester) and Taylor Smyth (Meriden) hit home runs as the Eastern Connecticut State University softball team clinched a share of its fourth straight Little East Conference regular-season title with a 4-0 victory over Western Connecticut State University Wednesday night at Westside Field. Western won the opener, 7-4.
At left: Taylor Smyth
Unofficially, Eastern (23-9, 10-2 Little East) can clinch the outright title and the No. 1 seed in the LEC tournament with a split of Saturday's home doubleheader with Keene State College.
Miller (8-2) fanned one and walked three in going the distance for the fifth time this year and White drove in two runs with two hits - a single that gave Eastern a 1-0 lead in the first and a leadoff home run that made it 3-0 in the fifth. Smyth's first career home run was pulled down the left field line and made it 2-0 in the second.
In the win, senior third baseman Arielle Cooper (Mystic) and junior leftfielder Megan Godwin (Manchester) had two hits for Eastern, Cooper also walking and scoring a run.
Freshman Alexandra Sabith pitched a complete-game four-hitter for Western (18-20, 7-5 Little East) in the opener, giving up only one earned run. Cooper reached twice with an intentional walk and her 15th home run of the season with one out in the seventh. With her 39th career roundtripper, Cooper broke her own season record of 123 total bases.
Senior Christine Akcer (Milford) was saddled with her first loss in eight decisions in the opener when Western reached her for five runs (four earned) in the third to wipe out a 3-0 Eastern lead that Eastern forged in the second on a one-out single by Godwin, sacrifice bunt by Smyth and two errors.
Eastern visits the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Thursday at 3 p.m. for a non-conference doubleheader.
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