YAPHANK, N.Y.  – Junior DH Gavin Lavallee (New Milford) drove in junior shortstop Brendan Lynch (Wethersfield) with a two-out single in the top of the eighth inning in the opener and senior lefty Tom Darby (Middletown, RI) struck out a career-high 12 batters with his first career complete game in the nightcap as the Eastern Connecticut State University baseball team swept SUNY Old Westbury, 4-3 in eight innings and 4-2 Sunday night at Baseball Heaven. Each game was scheduled for seven innings.

In the opener, Eastern (7-1) erased an early deficit by scoring once in the third and two tying runsin the sixth before winning the game with an unearned run in the eighth, and senior righty Matt Purnell (Stafford Springs) evened his career record at 3-3 by pitching two scoreless innings for his first victory of the year.

Lynch, batting leadoff in the game, reached on a one-out infield error and the Warriors loaded the bases on a single by junior third baseman Mike Vaccarelli (Wolcott) and a walk to senior No. 3 hitter and first baseman Joe Balowski (Berlin). With two out, Lavallee reached safely on an infield single to the left side, playing Lynch with the go-ahead run.

Making his fifth appearance of the year, Purnell gave up a single to start the ninth, but junior catcher Nik Ververis (Plainfield), who had entered as a pinch hitter in the third, threw out Old Westbury (3-6) shortstop Jeremy Delgado attemping to steal for the second time in the game. Purnell got a ground ball to the left side and comebacker to end the game.

Darby (3-0) improved to 9-0 lifetime by striking out a career-high 12 to gain his first career complete game in nine career starts. He gave up two singles while hitting two and walking one. Eastern led 3-0 before the Panthers scored their only two runs without the aid of a hit in the bottom of the second, pushing the runs across on a walk, hit batter, two stolen bases and a wild pitch.

In the sweep, Vaccarelli reached safely five times with had four hits and a walk and was credited with two of the team's four RBI. Ververis, Balowski, senior rightfielder Tyler Caserta (Stratford) and Lynch all picked up two hits and senior centerfielder Mike Riemer (Ellington) walked twice.

Through eight games, the Eastern pitching staff features a 2.22 ERA with 82 strikeouts and 22 walks in 69 innings.

Eastern opens its home season Monday, hosting Becker College at 4 p.m. at the Eastern Baseball Stadium.