NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. –Keene State College clinched the program’s first outright Little East Conference Regular Season Championship this afternoon, earning the top seed and right to host the 2008 Little East Conference Baseball Championship Tournament. The Owls will host the six team, double elimination tournament at the Owl Athletic Complex, beginning at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

Eastern Connecticut State University won the tie-breaker over the University of Southern Maine to earn the second seed in the 12th annual Little East Conference Tournament. Rhode Island College locked down the fourth seed for the third straight season, while the University of Massachusetts at Boston and Western Connecticut State University enter the tournament fray as the fifth and sixth seeds, respectively.

Under the direction of Head Coach Ken Howe, Keene State College set a program record with 12 victories inside the conference circuit, putting an additional win between the previous standard set by the 2006 and 2007 squads. The Owls have been red hot down the stretch, winning 15 of their past 18 contests to raise their overall record to 28-18. Keene State College’s success has translated into the No. 3 ranking in the latest edition of the NCAA Division III New England Regional poll.

Fans unable to make the trip to Keene, N.H. can follow all the action of the conference tournament live on the Little East Conference Tournament Central page. The Keene State College athletics department will be featuring reel-time statistics throughout the entire tournament.

2008 Little East Conference Baseball Championship Tournament

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

GAME 1: No. 6 Western Connecticut at No. 1 Keene State College, 9 a.m.

GAME 2: No. 5 UMass Boston vs. No. 2 Eastern Connecticut State University, 12:00 Noon

GAME 3: No. 4 Rhode Island College vs. No. 3 University of Southern Maine, 3:00 p.m.