PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The UMass Boston softball team dropped both end of a Little East Conference (LEC) doubleheader at Rhode Island College Saturday, dropping the opener 8-0 and game-two 6-3. These were the first LEC games of the season for both squads.
 
THE BASICS
 
Rhode Island College 8, UMass Boston 0 (5 innings)
Rhode Island College 6, UMass Boston 3
 
UMass Boston (10-6, 0-2 LEC)
Bridgewater State (6-4, 2-0 LEC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
The Anchorwomen got a shutout performance from Abby Kidd, who held the Beacons to just three hits while striking out eight over five innings. She also drove in the on the only run of the game RIC would need, plating Katelyn Ashe with a sacrifice fly to give the Anchorwomen a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second.
 
RIC led 2-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth, where it erupted for six runs to end the game. Paige Jones drove in two of those runs before scoring on Avery Katz's double to end the game.
 
Sophomore Brianna Melchionda (Marshfield, Mass.) took the loss in the circle for UMass Boston after giving up seven runs (three earned) on eight hits with five strikeouts. Junior Meghan Adams (Portsmouth, N.H.) secured the final two outs after yielding one unearned run on two hits.
 
In game-two, the Beacons trailed 4-0 heading to the top of the fifth before pushing three runs across to cut their deficit to 4-3. Junior Haley Tilberry (Moosic, Pa.) got things going with an RBI-single that plated freshman Adrianna Keefe (Revere, Mass.), then followed senior Caley Ruggiero (Southbury, Conn.) home on junior Sydney Sanden's (Riverton, Conn.) double.
 
The Anchorwomen got two of those runs back on Kidd's pinch hit single to left in the bottom half of the inning for the 6-3 final. The other big blow from RIC came off the bat of Alexis Boyce, who launched a two-run homer as part of a three-run fourth inning.
 
Tatiana Burcy earned the decision in the circle for the Anchorwomen, despite allowing three runs on five hits in 4.2 innings. Kidd earned a save after fanning three batters while not allowing a hit over the final 2.1 innings.
 
Sophomore Emily Doble (Danvers, Mass.) took the loss in game-two for UMass Boston after allowing three runs on six hits with four Ks over three-plus innings. Senior Hayley Catania (Amesbury, Mass.) also allowed three runs on seven hits over the final three innings.
 
WHAT'S NEXT?
 
The Beacons will look to bounce back Tuesday when they travel to Western Connecticut State University for a 3 p.m. LEC doubleheader.