NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. -After a one-year hiatus, the Little East Conference Softball Championship is returning to the Dayna A. Bazar Complex on the campus of Rhode Island College, marking the fourth time in the past five years the Anchorwomen have hosted the six-team, double-elimination tournament.  Keene State College won two of its three games this afternoon to earn the second seed, while Eastern Connecticut is third. The Little East Conference champion will receive the conference's automatic berth into the 2009 NCAA Division III Softball Championship.

Under the direction of Head Coach Maria Morin, Rhode Island College (36-4) established a new program record for conference victories, boasting a 13-1 mark. The Anchorwomen have won at least 11 Little East games the past five campaigns to win the regular season crown outright four times, while sharing last season's title with the Warriors. Rhode Island College will try to capture its fourth straight Little East Championship at 10 a.m. on April 30, when the Anchorwomen host the University of Southern Maine (6-32, 4-10).

The Owls (22-12, 10-4 LEC) are streaking into the postseason-winning 14 of their past 16 games-to earn the second season in the conference tournament. Keene State split a doubleheader with Eastern Connecticut this afternoon, and capped the evening with a dramatic 9-8 walk-off win over Rhode Island College in the 10th inning. Head Coach Charlie Beach and his squad will face intra-state rival Plymouth State University (21-14, 6-8) at 12 p.m. on April 30.

Eastern Connecticut (23-9, 10-4) and Western Connecticut State University (21-17, 8-6) will renew its rivalry in the third game of the tournament at approximately 2 p.m. on April 30. The Warriors and Colonials split their regular season series in Danbury, Conn. earlier this spring.

The Rhode Island College athletics department will provide live in-game statistics for each of the tournament's games. For complete results, please click on Little East Championship Tournament Central.

2009 Little East Conference Softball Championship

Thursday, April 30

GAME 1: #6 University of Southern Maine at #1 Rhode Island College, 10 a.m.
GAME 2: #5 Plymouth State University vs. #2 Keene State College, 12 p.m.
GAME 3: #4 Western Connecticut vs. #3 Eastern Connecticut, 2 p.m.
GAME 4: Loser Game #1 vs. Loser Game #2, 4 p.m.