MANSFIELD, Conn. - The Western Connecticut State University softball team won back-to-back elimination games against UMass Dartmouth on Wednesday and Southern Maine on Thursday but could not overcome a four-run deficit after one inning in an 8-0 setback against the top-seeded Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors in the Little East Conference (LEC) Softball Championship Tournament this afternoon at Eastern Connecticut's Clyde Washburne Field this afternoon.  WestConn ends its year at 24-20, its highest win total since 2015, while the Warriors improve to 21-17 and will face UMass Boston next later today.  

The Wolves' momentum from the two wins was slowed down by a full day rain delay, and the Warriors, playing only their second game in the tournament while the Wolves were playing their fourth, took advantage with four runs in the first stanza including two on a two-run double by Maddy Bowen.  WestConn sophomore 2B Kendall Allen (Naugatuck, Conn.) led off the second frame with a single and freshman Caitlin Milks (Newtown, Conn.) stole second as a pinch runner, but Warrior rookie pitcher Elizabeth Mitchell got Wolves graduate 1B Rachael Ushka (Southbury, Conn.) to fly to right field for the third out.

Eastern Connecticut kept the pressure on with another run in the bottom of the second inning and three more in the third to go ahead, 8-0.  WestConn junior 3B Alexis Resto (Shelton, Conn.) opened the fourth inning with a double but Mitchell retired the next six batters in a row to and the game after five innings.  Mitchell improved to 16-7 with a two-hitter, while Wolves sophomore Lindsay Farinacchio (Red Hook, N.Y.) finished the season at 12-10 and 2-2 in this tournament.  Junior lefty Olivis Bordenaro (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.) pitched three of the four innings and combined with Farinacchio to allow nine hits and seven earned runs.