SALEM, Va.—Eighth-seeded Rhode Island College upset bid of top-seeded Louisiana College fell just short this afternoon in Game One of the 2008 NCAA Div. III Softball National Championship Round on Friday morning at the Moyer Sports Complex. The Anchorwomen put runners in scoring position twice, but could not solve Lady Wildcats' sophomore starting pitcher McCaslin Carson (Monroe, LA), falling 1-0.

Rhode Island College (36-8) will face fifth-seeded Wisconsin-Whitewater in an elimination contest tomorrow morning at 11 a.m., while No. 1 Louisiana College (43-5) advances to face Cortland State at 4 p.m.

Freshman starting pitcher Melanie Neece (Westfield, Mass.) (21-4) kept the Anchorwomen in the game, allowing just one run on five hits, while logging five strikeouts, in six innings. Neece found her groove in the middle innings, setting down five of the six batters she face in the third and fourth frames, respectively. Despite surrendering back-to-back singles in the fifth, Neece was able to work out of a jam and finish strong by retiring her final five hitters.

Carson held the explosive Rhode Island College offense to just one hit in a complete-game win (18-3), logging four strikeouts in seven innings. Freshman designated player Kayla Jandreau’s (Plainville, Conn.) infield single in the sixth was the Anchorwomen’s lone hit.

Carson also helped out her own cause at the plate, belting a one-out homer in the second inning for the game-winning run.

The Anchorwomen's lone threat came with two outs in the third inning. Sophomore center fielder Jackie Dube (Barrington, N.H.) was hit by a pitch to lead off the stanza, but was forced out at second on a fielder's choice. Senior catcher Jeanne Rosa (Milford, Conn.) advanced to second on a ground out to third base, while classmate first basemen Christie Lotti (Waterford, Conn.) reached on a fielder's choice. Sophomore right fielder Michelle Perrin (Saugus, Mass.) drew a walk to load the bases, but Carson buckled down as Jandreau grounded into a fielder’s choice, erasing Lotti at third to end the scoring opportunity.

Prior to the start of the NCAA Championship Round, the three Rhode Island College seniors were presented with the New England Regional Championship Trophy. Krystal Bilek, Lotti, and Rosa accepted the trophy on behalf of the Anchorwomen.