NORTHEAST-10 CONFERENCE 2006 SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

Saturday's Results

#4 Le Moyne 14, #3 Southern N.H. 0 (5 innings)

#6 Southern Connecticut 8, #5 Assumption 0 (5 innings)

#2 UMass Lowell 6, #1 Bryant 3

#6 Southern Connecticut 2, #4 Le Moyne 1 (9 innings)

Sunday's Schedule

10:00 am -  #6 Southern Connecticut  vs. #1 Bryant University

12:00 pm - #2 UMass Lowell vs. winner of So. Conn / Bryant game

3:00 pm - if necessary

GAME 5 - #4 Le Moyne 14, #3 Southern N.H. 0 (5 innings)

    SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Freshman Jennifer Farrelly (Latham, NY) went 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI to lead fourth-seeded Le Moyne College to a 14-0 victory over third-seeded Southern New Hampshire University here today in second-day action of the 2006 Northeast-10 Conference Softball Tournament.  SNHU (21-21), which suffered a 1-0 loss to Southern Connecticut State yesterday, is eliminated from the six-team tournament, while Le Moyne (29-18) advances to face Southern Connecticut State. SCSU also survived an elimination game today, as it defeated Assumption College 8-0.

      A two-out, two-run double to left field by Farrelly in the top of the first inning gave the Dolphins a 2-0 lead right off the bat, and Le Moyne increased its lead to 6-0 following a four-run third inning. A two-run triple by sophomore Sarah Reed (DeWitt, NY) and a RBI double by Farrelly plated three of the runs.

      Le Moyne secured the win in the fourth when it plated seven runs off five hits. A three-run homerun by junior Kristen DesLauriers (Liverpool, NY) and a bases-loaded double by junior Lindsay Spaziani (Horseheads, NY) plated six of the seven runs.

      Le Moyne racked up 15 hits in the game. Junior Melissa Quimby (Baldwinsville, NY) went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, while Spaziani went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Freshman Caitlin O'Neil (Pittsford, NY) also had two hits for the Dolphins.

GAME 6 - #6 Southern Connecticut 8, #5 Assumption 0 (5 innings)

PROVIDENCE,RI - Southern Connecticut's sophomore pitcher Jessica Dempsey (Stratford, CT) pitched a complete-game five-hitter in leading the sixth-seeded Owls to a 8-0 win over number five seed Assumption College on the second day of the 2006 Northeast-10 Conference Softball Tournament Saturday at Brown University. 

Dempsey who has appeared in all three tournament games thus far struck out three Greyhounds in route to her eight win of the season. The Owls improve to 23-23-3 on the season. Assumption has been eliminated from tournament play and finishes their season 30-20.

Southern Connecticut jumped on the board in the top of the first playing small ball with a leadoff single, a sacrifice, and an RBI single by junior Emily Atkinson (Novato, CA). They would get another run in the second with the same philosophy by sacrificing and then a single by junior Courtney Miniter (Branford, CT) to knock in the run.

The Owls would pull away in the third and fourth innings scoring three runs in each. The first six batters to come to the plate all reached either by a walk or a single in the third innings. Junior Lindsey Castano (Oakdale, CT), freshman Kelly Ahearn (East Hampton, CT), and freshman Amanda St. George (Shelton, CT) each had an RBI single in the inning.

Castano and St. George would get two of the three RBI's in the fourth giving the Owls an 8-0 lead. Dempsey would close the door in the fifth inning earning the win for Southern Connecticut.

GAME 7 #2 UMass Lowell 6, #1 Bryant 3

SMITHFIELD, RI - The No. 2 seeded UMass Lowell River Hawks advanced to the championship round of the Northeast-10 Tournament this afternoon, defeating host Bryant University 6-3.  With the win the River Hawks improve to 33-18 overall, while Bryant falls to 26-16.  The River Hawks will play tomorrow at noon, facing the winner of the morning match between No. 1 Bryant and No. 6 Southern Connecticut.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Jessica Valentini pounded a solo home run over the right field fence to lead off the inning.  River Hawk pitcher Kristen Mahoney (Burlington, MA) recovered nicely, striking out the next two batters and forcing the third to pop up to shortstop.  The second strikeout of the inning was the 368^th of her career, breaking the school record of 367 career strikeouts held by Amber Gagnon (2000-03).

Junior OF Laurie Tanguay (Lowell, MA) evened the score 1-1 in the top of the third, sending the first pitch out of the park for her seventh home run of the season.  UML threatened to score again after freshman SS Stacey Lajoie (Gardner, MA) and sophomore DH Brie O'Brien (Los Angeles, CA) reached base on an error and a walk respectively, but Janine Enos relieved starting pitcher Jennifer Bernier and got the next two outs.

The River Hawks broke the game open in the fourth inning, bringing home four runs to take a 5-1 lead.  Junior 3B Colleen Varone (Holliston, MA) led off the inning with a single.  She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior C Melissa Hanafin (Burlington, MA) and came around to score on a two-out single to center field by sophomore 2B Julie Brodie (Chelmsford, MA).  After a walk by Tanguay, Lajoie belted a double to deep left center field for two RBIs.  Lajoie came home on a single by O'Brien to cap off the scoring.

Mahoney led off the fifth inning with a home run, sending the first offering over the left field fence to extend the UML lead to 6-1.

Bryant cut the lead to 6-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning.  Lindsay Connor led off with a double to right field and came around to score on a one-out double to right field by Amanda Wilbur.  Mahoney walked two to load the bases and was subsequently relieved by freshman Cyrilla Suker (Voorheesville, NY).  Suker gave up an RBI single to Valentini, but got the next two batters to fly out, leaving the bases loaded and ending the Bulldog threat.

Mahoney gave up four hits, three earned runs and four walks while striking out seven in 5.1 innings pitched to earn the win.  Suker threw 1.2 innings in relief, giving up two hits, two walks and striking out two to earn the save.  Enos suffered the loss, surrendering 10 hits and five earned runs while striking out four in 4.2 relief innings.

GAME 8  #6 Southern Connecticut 2, #4 Le Moyne 1 (9innings)

PROVIDENCE,RI - Southern Connecticut's junior Julie Koleszar (Stratford, CT) scored the game-winning run in the top of the ninth on a pass ball to give the sixth-seeded Owls a 2-1 win over number four seed Le Moyne on the second day of the 2006 Northeast-10 Conference Softball Tournament Saturday at Brown University. 

Southern Connecticut scored the first run of the game in the top of the first on an RBI ground out by freshman Brittany Gandley (Holbrook, NY). Le Moyne would answer in the home half of the first with a solo homerun to deep right center by junior Kristen DesLauriers (Liverpool, NY).

From that point, the game was locked at 1-1 in a pitcher's duel. Sophomore Kristyna Bertolone (Farmingville, NY) pitched eight strong innings for the Owls earning her seventh victory of the season. Junior Martha Senko (Pine City, NY) also tossed eight strong innings for Le Moyne, allowing just one earned run while striking out eight batters.

Southern Connecticut senior Kelly Brenner (Hamden, CT) led off the top of the ninth with a walk. Following two sacrifices, Koleszar, who pinch ran for Brenner, was able to score on a pass ball giving the Owls the 2-1 lead. Sophomore Jessica Dempsey (Stratford, CT), who earned the win in the Owls' first game today, closed the door in the ninth to pick up the save. She has pitched at least one inning in each of the four games Southern Connecticut has played in the tournament.