D 3 softball

[7express]

Boston is the "home" team for this game, so they will get last ups in the 7th if need be.

RIC 1 UMass-Boston 0 top 5.  Chelsi Panarelli with an RBI double for the Anchorwomen, which scores the first run of the game.
RIC 4 UMass-Boston 0 top 7.  kristina Gingell with an RBI single that scores Christina Bailey, followed by a Stacy Pokora 2 run homer makes it 4-0.  The Beacons have their worked cut out for them in the bottom half.

Final:
RIC 4 Boston 1.  Boston had the winning run at the plate with 2 outs in the 7th, but grounded out to end the game.  Boston goes home, RIC advances to play the Western/Eastern loser on Saturday afternoon at high noon.

[7express]

Final game of the day is #1 Eastern Connecticut against #2 Western Connecticut.  Winner advances to the LEC championship round Saturday at 2, loser faces RIC in an elimination game Saturday at 12.  First pitch at 6:25.  Pitching for Eastern is their ace Molly Rathburn, and pitching again for West Conn is the Colonials ace Mag Dargon.

Eastern 1 West Conn 0 bottom 2nd.  Courtney Jobin drives in Arielle Cooper for the Warriors and games first run.
Eastern 1 West Conn 1 Top 3.  Mag Dargon single scores Luigina Facchini.
Eastern 3 West Conn 1 bottom 4.  Jobin drives in 2 more as she has all 3 of Eastern's rbi's.
Final: Eastern 5 West Conn 3.  Eastern scored 2 unearned runs in the 6th, while Danielle Basciano got those 2 back with a 2 run double in the 7th, but jackie Zilnicki grounded out to end the game.  Wit that, the Saturday schedule is set:

#4 Rhode Island College has a rematch with #2 West Conn at 12:00.  Winner of that game faces #1 Eastern at 2, and there will be a game at 4 for the marbles if Eastern loses at 2.  Western will need a good outing from Stephanie Moss tomorrow as we will need 3 wins to win the championship and Mag can't pitch all 3.

[WLCALUM83]

IIAC Update:

Loras, Cornell and #2 seed Central-IA eliminated today.

Luther has yet to lose. Coe and Simpson still alive.

[7express]

LEC Championship Saturday is upon us.  Once again, just like yesterday, RIC is the "home" team so they will get last ups in the 7th if need be.  Same matchup as yesterday as well Amanda Berard for RIC against Mag Dargon for the Colonials.

West Conn 0 RIC 0 top 1.  Game starting in a few minutes.
West Conn 0 RIC 0 Top 4.  West Conn has gotten nothing so far as Berard has given up no hits, RIC had runners on the corners with 1 out in the first, and 1st and 3rd 0 outs in the 3rd and failed to score both times.  Against a good pitcher you have to take advantage.  Anchorwomen seem to be hitting Mag well, so we'll see whats in store for the remaining 4 innings.
West Conn 0 RIC 0 top 6.  RIC has 7 hits and has someone in scoring posistion every inning with the exception of the second yet has 0 runs to show for it.  Lets see if it comes back to bite them.  If the Colonials go in order this inning, 3-4-5 for West Conn will be the hitters in the 7th, and they've done damage this year.
West Conn 0 RIC 1 bottom 6.  RIC finally capitalizes on its chances as a Kayla Jandreau scores Kristina Gringell to gie RIC the 1-0 lead.  They have the bases loaded with only 1 out, and with 3-4-5 comming up, I'd advise getting more runs.
West Conn 0 RIC 3 top 7.  RIC scores 2 more in the inning on a fielders choice and bases loaded walk.  West Conn minimized the damage with an inning ending double play.  Onto the last half inning of Western's season, 3 to tie, 4 for the lead, got the hitters up to do it.
Final: RIC 3 West Conn 0.  Western ends their season 27-12, RIC goes to 33-10, and will play Eastern in the championship round with first pitch about 1:00 PM or so.  Eastern is undefeted, so an Eastern win gives them the LEC title; RIC wins we'll be playing again at 3:00.  I'll be back in a few to preview the RIC Eastern game.

[7express]

Championship round starting in a few minutes, we have the 4th seed Rhode island College Anchorwomen out of the losers bracket taking on the 1 seed Eastern Connecticut state warriors out of the winners bracket.  RIC needs to win to force a decisive game 2. Molly Rathburn, Eastern's ace pitching for the warriors, Kyla Puccini pitching for RIC.  RIC is the home team once again.
Eastern 0 RIC 0 top 1.  First pitch slated for 1:10 PM.
Eastern 0 RIC 1 bottom 3.  Christina Bailey single scores Donielle Mattoon for games first run.
Eastern 6 RIC 1 bottom 5.  Eastern scores 6 runs in the top of the 5th to take a commanding 5 run lead.   Because of 3 errors in the inning, only 3 of the 6 runs were earned.
Eastern 7 RIC 1 bottom 6.  Megan Godwin RBI single scores Kelly Peterson to give the Warriors a 6 run lead heading to the 7th.
Final: Eastern 7 RIC 1.  Eastern will go onto the NCAA's with a 30-4 record, RIC ends the season 33-11 with a possible ECAC bid.  I think Eastern will be a tough out in the NCAA's.

[7express]

Western gets a bit to the NCAA tournament.

They will face St. John Fisher on Thursday at noon in the Ithaca region at Ithaca college.

[Kohawk Krazy]

How Stacked is the Pella Region? 

Winner of that bracket wins the National Title in my opinion.

[7express]

LEC teams in the tournament:
Western is in the Ithaca regional along with: Messiah (35-5), Muhlenberg (25-15), Middlebury (29-6), Keuka (20-3-1), Centenary (29-11) and the host Ithaca (27-12).  Western (27-12) will be playing St. John Fisher (28-12-1) Thursday at noon.  Messiah, Ithaca & Middlebury look to be the favorites.
Eastern and Western are both in the Providence regional along with: Endicott (35-6), St. Joseph's (ME) (35-8), Lesley (29-6) and Coast Guard (36-2).  Eastern (30-4) opens up play Thursday at 10 am against Husson (25-17) while RIC (33-11) will play at 12 against Worcester state (28-9).  Eastern is clearly the best in this region and they should win this hands down.  Coast Guard, Endicott & RIC could be sleepers, but this is Eastern's to lose.  Even though they may get paired up on Friday in the winners bracket I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was an all LEC matchup in the regional championship between eastern & RIC.

[7express]

How Stacked is the Pella Region? 

Winner of that bracket wins the National Title in my opinion.

You could probably make a case for 7 of the 8 teams as to why they will/won't win the regional.  Only team I'm not giving any hope too is Anderson, but I could see any of the other 7 winning it.   I'd have to give Central the advantage because their playing at home and Linfield is at a disadvantage because they would've had to travel so far but thats wide open.  I'll make my regional picks tomorrow night.

[7express]

My regional and championship predictions.  feel free to laugh at me when this is over:
Eau Claire region: St. Thomas over Luther.  Darkhorse candidate(s): Eau Claire and Ripon
Ithaca region: Ithaca over Middlebury.  Darkhorse candidate(s): Messiah & Western Connecticut
Pella region: Central over Linfield.  Darkhorse candidate(s): Anyone else besides Anderson who I can't see winning it, but I can see any of the other 7 teams winning the regional
Cortland regional: Cortland over Montclair.  Darkhorse candidate(s): This is Cortland's to lose, but Montclair is in the best posistion should Cortland somehow stumble twice at home
Adrian region: DePauw over Alma.  Darkhorse candidate(s): Ohio Northern and Baldwin-Wallace
Tyler region: East Texas Baptist over Texas-Tyler: Darkhorse candidate(s): Mississippi College & Louisiana College.  I'm not sold on the California teams, thats a long way to travel for them in a short period of time.
Salisbury region: Salisbury over Emory.  Darkhorse candidate(s): Virginia Wesleyan, Rowan & Farmingdale state
Providence region: Eastern Connecticut over Rhode island College. Darkhorse candidate(s): none because Eastern won't lose at all, but I'd figure RIC would have the best chance to beat them.

Championship prediction: IEastern Connecticut over Central.

[WLCALUM83]

I agree on all your Regional Champion picks:

My 2 Darkhorses:

Benedictine (Pella region)-- 2 good pitchers- question is will the IL Eagle offense have enough to enable that squad to get a couple of wins

Louisiana College -- (UT-Tyler) again, top 2 pitchers can be awesome when they're on, --offense??

(Side note)  Keane   -- below .500 on the year --  knocked off NJAC D3 Entrant Rowan  --  probably already exceeded a lot of expectations getting to this point --how much more of a lift would another win or 2 give this squad?

[7express]

Anyone know why at the Ithaca regional only the first game is availible to watch?? 

[7express]

Day 1 of the regionals is upon us.
In the Providence regional, first game up is Husson Eagles out of Bangor, Maine against the Eastern Connecticut state Warriors from Willimantic, Connecticut.  Pitching for Husson is Rebecca McCarty, pitching for Eastern is their ace Molly Rathburn.  Unfortunatly, i have to leave soon and won't be back until 3 or 4, so no updates today.

[ECSUalum]

7express, WLCalum,

GREAT JOB with the D-III softball coverage!!!!! +1 each

[wildcat11]

Linfield rolls Anderson 10-0 today to kick off the Pella regional.  Go 'Cats!