Boxscore

Providence, R.I. – The Endicott softball team held a 3-0 lead on day three of the NCAA Regional Tournament, but four unanswered runs by Rhode Island College ousted the Gulls from postseason play.

Endicott (36-8) end their 2011 season while RIC (35-12) move on to play the winner of Worcester State and Coast Guard at 4:00 pm, Saturday.

The Blue and Green loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first for freshman Jennie Lacolla (Stoneham, Mass.) who lined an infield single to the shortstop who made a diving stab to keep the ball from going into the outfield. A run scored, but the Anchorwomen escaped further damage to keep Endicott to a 1-0 lead.

Endicott sophomore Nicole Devlin (Dudley, Mass.) was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on an illegal pitch to lead off the bottom of the second. Alexandra Moise’s (North Reading, Mass.) reached on an error that scored an alert Devlin on the base paths. Moise advanced to second on the throw and later reached third base on another illegal pitch.

With one out in the same inning, Gulls freshman second baseman Jesse Bilafer (Concord, Mass.) laid down a bunt as Moise beat the throw to the plate to put the Gulls up 3-0.

The Gulls put runners at every base in the bottom of the third once again with just one out, but RIC was able to get two straight outs to hold Endicott to a three-run advantage.

In the top of the fourth, the Anchorwomen got on the board with runners at the corners and two outs as pinch hitter Laura DeNoncour (Johnston, R.I.) lined a Jenna Bortolotti (Milton, Mass.) offering up the middle to make it a 3-1 game.

RIC evened the score at 3-3 in the top of the fifth when Donielle Mattoon (Coventry, R.I.) had an opposite field hit that bounced past the Endicott right fielder to score Stacy Pokora (Wilton, Conn.). The next batter, Chelsi Panarelli (Shrewsbury, Mass.) hit a shot a left that scored Mattoon all the way from first base to tie the game.

Mattoon, who finished the game with four hits, crushed a triple to the gap in right center in the top of the seventh that plated Marisa Jandreau (Plainville, Conn.) with two outs in the inning. The run gave RIC a 4-3 lead and despite the Gulls putting the game-tying runner on second base in their final at bats, Endicott was unable to force extra innings.

Endicott’s Hayley Hovhanessian (Farmington, Conn.) went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Gulls while in the circle, Bortolotti took the loss to finish the season with an 18-6 mark.

Panarelli went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a double. Hovhanessian went 2-for-3 for the Gulls. Bortolotti took the loss (18-6).