MANSFIELD, Conn. -- Eastern Connecticut State University scored four runs in the fourth inning on four singles, a walk and sacrifice fly, and junior shortstop Brendan Lynch's (Wethersfield) sacrifice fly in the eighth drove in junior DH Gavin Lavallee (New Milford) with the go-ahead run as the Warriors won their sixth straight game with a 6-5 Little East Conference victory over Western Connecticut State University Tuesday afternoon at the Eastern Baseball Stadium.

Trailing 5-4, Western (8-14, 1-4 Little East) tied the game with a run in the sixth on freshman No. 9 hitter James Annello's two-out double which plated sophomore leftfielder John Kelly, but Annello was thrown out at the plate by Eastern (19-8-1, 4-3 Little East) senior rightfielder Tyler Caserta (Stratford) trying to score the go-ahead run on a single by Jeff John.

Ranked fourth in New England, Eastern escaped a jam in the top of the eighth when the Warriors turned a double play on a sacrifice bunt attempt – begun by sophomore relief pitcher Chuck Vogt (Windsor Lock) – and senior reliever Matt Purnell (Stafford Springs) left the go-ahead run on third  when he came on to record an inning-ending strikeouts.

The Warriors pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the eighth. Lavallee and junior pinch hitter Tommy McKenna (Lexington, MA) singled and a walk to junior catcher Nik Ververis (Plainfield) loaded the bases for Lynch, who plated Lavallee with a fly ball to left.

The fourth of four Eastern pitchers, Purnell recorded the final six outs to gain his third win in four decisions and lower his ERA to 1.38. Vogt contributed 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

In his second start of the year, senior Conor Bierfeldt went the distance for Western. Last year's New England Player-of-the-Year, Bierfeldt gave up nine hits and three walks and fanned eight.

Lavallee led Eastern with two hits and two runs and Lynch, batting leadoff, reached on a hit and walk, scored twice and drove in two runs.

John, batting leadoff, reached safely three times for Western with two hits and a walk and drove in two runs with a two-out single in the fourth when the Colonials moved out to a 4-1 lead.