Southern Connecticut State’s Stacy Pouliot was the hero on Saturday driving in the game-winning run with a two-out single in the top of the seventh and then tagged out the potential tying runner at the plate to end the game, lifting the Owls to a 5-4 win over UMass-Lowell on Saturday.

With the win Southern enters Sunday’s final round (noon vs. TBA) needing just one win to advance to the East Regional finals.

“The sky’s the limit for this team,” SCSU coach Lisa Barbaro said. “So far we’re battling and doing really well. It’s going to be really tough for anyone to come out and beat us two games, but I’m hoping we win the first one.”


Pouliot finished with two hits and two RBIs for No. 1 seed Southern (39-10). Brittany Bucko led off the game with a homer, and Jessica Rosa added two hits and an RBI. Jayme Larson (22-3) picked up the win in relief of effective starter Kelsey Cockrill.

No. 5 UMass-Lowell (34-17) got a three-run double by Caelyn Ford and two hits and an RBI from Krista MacKenzie. Elyssa Boris (20-9) took the loss allowing 11 hits in the complete game.