PROVIDENCE, R.I.-- Top-seeded Rhode Island College defeated second-seeded Keene State, 1-0, in game 11 of the 2009 Little East Conference Softball Championship Tournament at the Dayna A. Bazar Softball Complex, giving the Anchorwomen their fourth straight conference title.

Rhode Island College (40-5) heads to the NCAA Div. III Softball Tournament for the fourth consecutive year. The Anchorwomen will find out when and where they will play on Monday, May 4. Keene State (26-14) will wait until Monday to see if it will receive an at-large bid.

Sophomore pitcher Amanda Berard (Swansea, Mass.) was named the 2009 Little East Conference Softball Championship Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. She appeared in four of RIC’s five games, going 2-0 with one save, a 0.34 ERA and six strikeouts in 20.1 innings pitched. She hurled a complete game shutout in the final game vs. Keene State to lift RIC to the title.

Keene State came into today’s action, knowing it would have to win three straight games in order to win the championship. After dispatching fourth-seeded Western Connecticut, 8-0, in five innings, the Owls would need to sweep Rhode Island College, which hadn’t lost yet in the tourney, or lost back-to-back games all year.

The Owls earned a dramatic 2-1 victory in game 10 behind a strong effort from freshman pitcher Courtney Savoie (Stratham, N.H.) who kept the Anchorwomen scoreless until their final at-bat.

Senior center fielder Allie D’Amato (Bristol, Conn.) singled to open up the fourth. With one out, sophomore shortstop Katie Bradford (Lebanon, N.H.) reached on an infield single. After a ground out advanced the runners to second and third, freshman first baseman Haley Chandler (Wakefield, Mass.) singled up the middle to bring in both runs. RIC junior starter Jenna Deveines (Lowville, N.Y.) was lifted for Berard, who shut down the Owls for the remainder of the game.

RIC came into the bottom of the seventh needing two runs to prolong the contest. Sophomore first baseman Chelsi Panarelli (Shrewsbury, Mass.) laced a hard single up the middle to lead off the frame. Savoie got two fly outs, but senior left fielder Kelli McCartin (Cranston, R.I.) crushed a double to left center field, scoring Panarelli all the way from first. Savoie then got sophomore shortstop Donielle Mattoon (Coventry, R.I.) to ground out to end the game and force a game 11.

Savoie earned the win (10-3), allowing just one run on five hits, while recording four strikeouts. Deveines suffered her first loss (15-1) of the year.

One run was all it took as Berard continued to keep the Owls off the scoreboard in the game 11 victory. Mattoon led off the fourth with a single up the middle off of Keene State freshman pitcher Emily Albin (Bethel, Conn.). After a pop out, Mattoon moved into scoring position on junior right fielder Michelle Perrin’s (Saugus, Mass.) ground out. Sophomore catcher Kayla Jandreau (Plainville, Conn.) smashed a double to center field, plating Mattoon with what proved to be the game-winning run.

Keene State threatened in the fourth loading the bases as junior catcher Stephanie Lavado (Wallingford, Conn.) walked, Chandler singled and freshman designated player Samantha Pratt (West Hartford, Conn.) reached on an error. With two down, Berard forced freshman second baseman Laura Chandler (Wakefield, Mass.) to tap a grounder to RIC freshman third baseman Cristina Bailey (Londonderry, N.H.) who stepped on third to end the frame.

KSC put two aboard in the fifth, but with one away, senior third baseman Kate Allenson (Clifton Park, N.Y.) lined out to Bailey, who fired a strike to second to pick off senior center fielder Jenna Patnode (Surry, N.H.).

The Owls, who were the home team in the contest, put two aboard with two down in the bottom of the seventh, but sophomore right fielder Ashley Annis (Gilford, N.H.) was erased at second on Allenson’s fielder’s choice to give RIC the win.

Berard (14-2) earned the win, allowing just six hits, while Albin (4-4) took the loss. Pratt and freshman Ashley Clark (Brentwood, N.H.) combined to shut down RIC over the finale 4.1 innings, allowing just one hit.

As the Anchorwomen head to the NCAA Tournament, they need just win to tie the 2007 team’s program record for wins in a season.

Mattoon had an outstanding tournament, batting .533 (8-for-15) with two runs scored a triple and a team-high eight RBI. Jandreau batted .333 (6-for-18) with two runs scored a double and two RBI. Deveines was 2-1 in three appearances with a 3.00 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 11.2 innings pitched.

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