2010 All-Little East Softball Teams Released

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. –The Little East Conference office announced its annual softball awards program this afternoon after each of the eight conference coaches casted a ballot. Eastern Connecticut State University earned two of the five major awards as sophomore Molly Rathbun (Hebron, Conn.) was named the Pitcher of the Year and Diana Pepin was tabbed as the Coach of the Year. Western Connecticut State University shortstop Danielle Basciano (Holmes, N.Y.) was named the Player of the Year, while University of Massachusetts Boston freshman catcher Sue Killilea (Abington, Mass.) was chosen as the Rookie of the Year. Plymouth State University earned the inaugural Team Sportsmanship Award. A total of 26 student-athletes were honored on the two all-conference teams. 

Basciano became the sixth student-athlete in program history to earn the coveted player of the year award. The sophomore shortstop from Holmes, N.Y. ranks among the national leaders in batting average (11th, .500), triples (22nd, 6), and on-base percentage (24th, .551). Basciano has been the offensive catalyst for the Colonials throughout the spring, helping Western Connecticut sit atop the conference team standings in doubles (70), home runs (24), and slugging percentage (.483), while ranking second in batting average (.323), triples (14) and RBI (195). A consistent offensive threat, Basciano has hit safely in 36 of 42 games, including registering 22 contests with multiple base knocks. She enjoyed her finest day at the plate against Plymouth State, when she went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in and three runs scored. On the season, Basciano has collected 64 hits, 48 runs scored, 28 stolen bases, and 21 runs batted in. She will enter her junior season with a 21-game hitting streak.

Rathbun is the first player in program history to be named the top pitcher in the conference circuit. According to the latest NCAA Division III statistical report, the sophomore from Hebron, Conn. leads the nation in hits allowed per seven innings (3.01), while ranking second in earned run average (0.59), seventh in shutouts (9) and strikeouts per seven innings (10.6). Rathbun established a new Warriors record with her current 20-game winning streak to raise her overall mark to 23-1. In 28 appearances, she has hurled a complete-game in 20 or her 21 starts. Rathbun has allowed just 68 hits and 16 earned runs in 155 innings of work, while striking out 240 batters. Rathbun has reached double figures in strikeouts 12 times on the campaign, including matching the program record of 16 against Southern Maine. She registered her first collegiate no-hitter in the Little East Conference Championship against Rhode Island College. In games where Rathbun has entered the pitching circle, Eastern Connecticut has outscored its opponents, 147-46. The 2009 Little East Rookie of the Year has recently named the most outstanding player of the 2010 conference tournament.

Killilea is the first student-athlete in Beacons’ softball history to earn a major award. The 2010 All-Little East, first-team selection at catcher made an immediate impact in the UMass Boston starting lineup as the Abington, Mass. product ranked among the Little East leaders in nearly every offensive category. She led the conference in triples (10), while ranking second in on-base percentage (.514), third in batting average (.460), and fourth in hits (57). A starter in 38 of her 39 games, Killilea led the Beacons with 23 extra-base hits—12 doubles and a home run—and 34 RBI. She posted a season-best 14-game hitting streak between April 3 and April 23. Killilea was named the rookie of the week twice during her rookie season.

Pepin is making her third appearance as the top coach in the Little East, and second in the past three years. She has guided Eastern Connecticut to the program’s first 30-win season since 1994, boasting an overall record of 34-4-1. The Warriors are just five victories shy of matching the program’s all-time single-season wins mark (39), set by the 1985 squad. Pepin led her charges to the program’s first Little East Softball Championship this past weekend as the Warriors’ posted a 4-0 mark to earn the automatic qualifier into the NCAA Division III Tournament. She also achieved another milestone in the conference-clinching contest against Keene State College, earning her 200th-career win. Eastern Connecticut is ranked 11th in the latest edition of the National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association Division III Poll. The Warriors will enter the national tournament as the top-seed in the Wellesley, Mass. Region.

Under the leadership of Head Coach Bruce Addison, the Panthers were honored as the inaugural Team Sportsmanship Award. Plymouth State posted a 13-22 record, including earning the sixth and final seed in the conference tournament with a 5-9 Little East mark. The Panthers strung together a season-best five game winning streak, including sweeping NCAA Tournament participant Salem State College. Sophomore utility player Allie Luisi (North Kingstown, R.I.) was the lone representative on the all-conference teams as a second-team honoree in the outfield.

Initially formed in 1986 as a six-team men's and women's basketball conference, the Little East Conference sponsored its 24th season in 2009-2010. Western Connecticut State University joined the conference in 1993-1994, while Keene State College raised its current membership to eight teams in 1997-1998.