PORTLAND, Maine -- Two-time defending champion Eastern Connecticut State University leads by five strokes over Keene State College in the six-team field after the first day of the Little East Conference Men's Golf Championships Thursday at the par-70 Riverside Golf Course. Eastern stands 23-over par 303, with Keene at 28-over 308.

For Eastern, sophomore Nick DiNino (Glastonbury) -- playing at No. 5 for the team -- leads the Warriors and is tied for third overall at 5-over 75 among 30 players. Three Eastern players share fifth place at 6-over 76: Juniors Matt Orefice (Niantic) and co-captain Chris Davidson (New Milford) and two-time defending medalist and senior co-captain Ashton Lewis (Fairfield). Sophomore Jake Napolitan (Agawam, MA), is tied for 12th at 8-over 78. Orefice is playing at No. 4, Davidson at No. 2, Lewis at No. 1, and Napolitan at No. 3.
 
Jasper Bruins Slot of Rhode Island College leads by three strokes after shooting par-70 after the first round. Keene State, a second-year program, is led by Caden Capaldo at 5-over 75 and Sean Bonneau at 6-over 76.
 
Last year, host Eastern won by 16 strokes over VTSU Castleton at Ellington Ridge Country Club, with Keene last, 89 strokes behind the Warriors. Lewis won medalist honors with a 1-over 145, six strokes ahead of teammate Jonah Dupuis. Bruins Slot finished 17^th with a 22-over 166, with Capaldo of Keene sixth at 14-over 158 as his team's only player among the top 22 finishers.
 
The final round gets underway Friday at 10 a.m.
 
The team champion gains an automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA Division III national championships May 14-17 at Boulder Creek (NV) Golf Club.