MANSFIELD, Conn.  – Freshman Amber Kelly (Berwick, Maine/Noble) was 4-for-5 at the plate with four RBI to lead the fifth-seeded University of Southern Maine Huskies to an 8-7 come-from-behind victory over the second-seeded Western Connecticut State University Colonials in the first day of the 2015 Little East Conference Softball Championship Thursday afternoon at Eastern Connecticut State University's Mansfield Outdoor Complex. 

With the win, Southern Maine advances in the winner's bracket of the six-team double-elimination tournament and will face third-seeded Keene State College Owls Friday (12:00 p.m.).  Keene State advances with a 4-0 win over fourth-seed Plymouth State.  Southern Maine is 23-16 on the season.  With the loss, Western Connecticut saw its six-game win-streak halted to drop to 24-13.  Western Connecticut bounced back in an elimination game later in the day with a 9-0 (5 inning) win over UMass Dartmouth to stay alive in the tournament and up its record to 25-13.

Trailing 7-4 heading into the top of the seventh, Southern Maine scored three of its four runs with two-outs to jump ahead of the Colonials en route to the win.  Husky freshman Chantal Bisson (Lisbon, Maine) drove in the USM's first run of the game when she belted a one-out double to right field to score pinch-runner senior Lily Cooper (Lamoine, Maine/Ellsworth).  Cooper entered the game to run for sophomore Danni Humphrey (Walnut Creek, Calif./Northgate) who reached base safely after being hit by a pitch.  Cooper advanced to second on a walk issued to sophomore Samantha Crosman (South Berwick, Maine/Marshwood) before touching home plate on Bisson's second hit and second RBI of the game.

After a strikeout to get the second out of the inning with the Huskies trailing 7-5, Kelly stepped up to the plate and drove in her third and fourth RBIs of the game when she singled through the left side to score both Bisson and Crosman.  Kelly took second on the next play as freshman Courtney Davis (Woburn, Mass.) drew a walk.  With the game on the line senior Kristen Duross (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) singled through the right side plating Kelly.  Kelly who ran hard on contact scored the eventual game-winner as the Huskies took the 8-7 lead.

In the bottom half of the inning, Kelly, who entered the game in relief of USM starter freshman Erika Millett (Whitefield, N.H./White Mountains Regional) in the bottom of the fifth, gave up a lead off single to WCSU senior Julia Bocek (Southington, Conn.) before being lifted in favor of Millett.  With a runner on and no outs, Millett yielded a single to Michaela Roche (Briston, Conn.) to make it runners on first and second with no outs, before initiating a pivotal double play.  Facing junior Lydia Walter (East Haddam, Conn.), Millett snared a comeback line drive and doubled off a Colonial pinch runner that had strayed too far off of first base. Still facing the game-tying run on second and the go-ahead run at the plate, Millett continued her strong work striking out WCSU senior Christine Bighinatti (Rocky Hill, Conn.) for the win. 

Western Connecticut scored first in the game taking the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second as Bocek hit a solo homerun over right field and the Colonials stayed in front of USM until the top of the fourth.  Bisson drove in USM's first run of the game with an RBI single to score Humphrey.  Humphrey led off the inning with a walk, and advanced to second on a wild pitch and then took third on a single through the right side from Crosman.

WCSU came right back in the bottom of the inning with an RBI double from Bighinatti to reclaim the 2-1 lead.  Southern Maine tacked on another run in the fifth as Kelly led off the inning with a solo home run over the left field fence.  Kelly's home run, made the score 2-2, and marked the first of her intercollegiate career. 

After trading runs with the Huskies, Western Connecticut seemed to have taken control in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three runs to lead 5-2.  Giving up back-to-back singles to lead off the inning, Southern Maine seemed to have escaped the Colonial threat recording its first out on a sacrifice bunt before Davis made a heads-up force play at home to make it two outs and no runs.  However, the Colonials' next batter, Roche, cleared the bases with a three-run double down the left field line for a 5-2 WCSU lead before being gunned down at third by Davis to end the inning.

Southern Maine did not pack it in however and came back for two runs in the top of the sixth to trim its deficit to 5-4. Kelly and Duross combined for some two-out magic for the Huskies, each collecting RBI singles. 

In the bottom of the sixth, WCSU extended its lead to 7-4.  The Colonials scored its first run on a fielder's choice that failed to convert to an out on an RBI grounder from senior Erin Biskup (Poughkeepskie, N.Y./Spachenkill), before senior Nina Wojkiewicz (Griswold, Conn.) struck for an RBI double to make it a three-run lead for her team. However, the three-run lead was not enough as the Huskies' bats were clutch in a big spot.  Southern Maine finished the game 8-for-15 (.533) at the plate with two outs and 7-for-15 (.429) with runners in scoring position.  

Kelly earned the win in the circle pitching 1.2 innings of relief to improve to 10-7 on the year.  Kelly allowed two earned runs on three hits and a pair of walks.  Millett earned her first save of the season.  Millett combined to fire 5.1 innings, allowing five earned runs on six hits and three walks with three strikeouts.  Junior Alle Sabith (Meriden, Conn./Maloney) took the loss for WCSU allowing two earned runs on three hits and two walks in 1.0 innings pitched.  Junior Emily Cintorino (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Central), the Colonial starter, took the no decision allowing six earned runs on 11 hits and four walks.  Cintorino struck out six.

2015 Little East Conference Softball Championship Tournament

MANSFIELD, Conn. (Eastern Connecticut) – Double Elimination

Day 1: Thursday, April 30

GM 1 - No. 1 Eastern Connecticut  9, No. 6 UMass Dartmouth 0 (6 inn.)

GM 2 - No. 5 Southern Maine 8, No. 2 Western Connecticut 7

GM 3 - No. 3 Keene State 4, No. 4 Plymouth State 0

GM 4 – No. 2 Western Connecticut 9, No. 6 UMass Dartmouth 0 (5 inn.)

            Day 2: Friday, May 1

GM 5 – No. 1 Eastern Connecticut vs. No. 4 Plymouth State, 10 a.m.

GM 6 – No. 5 Southern Maine vs. No. 3 Keene State, 12 p.m.

If four teams remain after Game 6

GM 7 – No. 2 Western Connecticut vs. Loser Game 6, 2 p.m.

GM 8 – Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 4 p.m.

If five teams remain after Game 6

GM 7 – Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 2 p.m.

GM 8 – Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, 4 p.m.

- cac -