WILLIMANTIC, Conn.- Second-seeded Rhode Island College defeated fourth-seeded Keene State College, 13-4, in the Championship Game of the 2008 Little East Conference Softball Tournament at Spector Field. The victory raises the Anchorwomen's record to 33-7 as they ready to host the NCAA Div. III New England Regional Tournament on May 8-12 at the Dayna A. Bazar Softball Complex.
 
The Anchorwomen, who clinched the 2008 Little East Conference Regular Season Championship, along with Eastern Connecticut, for the fourth consecutive season, last Saturday, have now won the past three league tournaments. RIC, currently ranked No. 1 in New England, enters the NCAAs for the third straight season. Rhode Island College won the New England Region last spring and advanced to the National Championship Round for the first time in school history. The NCAA field and New England tourney participants will be announced late Sunday evening.
 
Senior third baseman Krystal Bilek (Fitchburg, Mass.) was named the 2008 Little East Conference Softball Tournament's Most Outstanding Player. She batted .636 (7-for-11) with four runs scored, one double, two home runs and seven RBI as the Anchorwomen cruised through the tourney field with a 4-0 record.
 
RIC earned wins over fifth-seeded Southern Maine (5-3) in the first round, a dominant win over top seed and tourney host Eastern Connecticut (10-1) yesterday, along with two wins over the Owls (5-3, 13-4).
 
In the title contest, Rhode Island College trailed, 2-1, until the third inning when the Anchorwomen scored three times and never looked back. After sophomore shortstop Kelsey Souza (Braintree, Mass.) scored on an error, freshman designated player Kayla Jandreau (Plainville, Conn.) blasted a two-out, two-run homer (4) to center field.
 
The Anchorwomen put the game out of reach with four runs in the fifth, led by sophomore right fielder Michelle Perrin's (Saugus, Mass.) two-run double. RIC exploded for five runs in the seventh, led by a Bilek home run (3) and RBI singles by freshman center fielder Donielle Mattoon (Coventry, R.I.) and senior catcher Jeanne Rosa (Milford, Conn.).
 
Sophomore pitcher Jenna Deveines (Lowville, N.Y.) earned the win (14-3), allowing four runs on five hits in 4.1 innings, before giving way to freshman Melanie Neece (Westfield, Mass.), who hurled 2.2 innings of shutout ball to close out the contest.
 
Neece and Deveines were solid in the Anchorwomen's four wins. Neece appeared in all four games, going 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 17.2 innings of work. Deveines appeared in three games, going 1-0 with two saves, a 4.20 ERA and three strikeouts in 8.1 innings.

In addition to Bilek, Souza was outstanding from the plate, batting .667 (6-for-9) with three runs scored, a double and five RBI. Jandreau batted .400 (4-for-10) with six runs scored, a double, one homer and three RBI. Senior first baseman Christie Lotti (Waterford, Conn.) batted .385 (5-for-13) with five runs scored and a double.