PSU softball cliches LEC berth with win

The Plymouth State University softball team clinched a berth in the Little East Conference Tournament with their split against Western Connecticut on Saturday, May 1 at Westside Field.  WestConn took the first game by a score of 11-2 but PSU nabbed the second game 8-4 as well as a spot in the LEC tournament.

With the victory, PSU finishes the regular season with an overall record of 13-20 and an LEC record of 5-9.

The pressure was on PSU to win the second game as their season came down to one game.  If they had lost, PSU's season would likely be over, but thanks to a stellar performances from sophomore Allie Luisi, and junior Andrea Pydynkowsk,i PSU will live to see another day. 

Luisi went four for four at the plate on the day and scored three runs while driving in an RBI and Pydynkowski went one for three and drove in four runs while scoring one herself.  Kortney Nedeau also chipped in with a solid performance as she went two for three with a run. 

PSU got out to an early start as they scored a run in the in the first inning and three more in the third inning, but WestConn would answer with three runs of their one in the bottom half of the third inning as they closed PSU's lead to 4-3. 

Pydynkowski put the game away for PSU when she hit a grand slam in the fifth inning to give her team a 8-3 advantage heading into the last couple of innings.

PSU's offensive would be back up by a solid pitching performance by sophomore Ali Keith.  Keith pitched a complete game and struck out seven as she only gave up four runs.
PSU head coach Bruce Addison was very pleased with the way his team rallied in the second game after losing the first game 11-2, and thought it was his team's best game of the season, "In game one, we just couldn't keep up with WestConn on the offensive side. With the added pressure in the second game, I thought we played our best game of the year, beating a very good team. Ali Keith really stepped up her game, pitching a complete game," said Addison, "The offense, led by Andy Pydynkowski's grand slam, came through, putting less pressure on our defense. Basically, with our season on the brink, we played really well, so hopefully we can continue that in the LEC tournament."

PSU will now move on to play Eastern Connecticut in Keene, NH on Thursday, May 6 at 10:00 a.m. in the LEC quarterfinals.  EastConn had an impressive year as they finished first in the LEC with a conference record of 11-1 and an overall record of 26-4-1.