MANSFIELD, Conn. – Sophomore shortstop Alyssa Hancock (Waterford) and senior centerfielder Mattie Brett (Waterford) stroked doubles with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning to spark a two-run rally and give the Eastern Connecticut State University softball team a 4-3 first-game victory over Plymouth State University and an eventual split of  a season-opening Little East Conference doubleheader Saturday at the Eastern Softball Stadium.

At right: Senior Jen Tamindzija drove in Eastern's second run in the second-game loss to Plymouth State Saturday. (Photo by Drew Rice)

In the second game, first-game loser Whitney Roberts tossed her fourth complete game in as many starts and Plymouth State (7-7, 1-1 Little East) got three hits and two RBI from Masha Lange in a 7-3 triumph that snapped Eastern's (7-9, 1-1 Little East) six-game winning streak and gave the Panthers their sixth win in the last six contests.

In the first game, junior Erin Miller  (Waterford) pitched a complete-game six-hitter, surviving solo home runs in the seventh and eighth to even her overall record at 4-4. Jackie Digman tied the first game, 2-2,  with a leadoff home run to left and Bekah Jackson gave her team a 3-2 lead with a one-out home run in the eighth. In the bottom of the eighth, senior rightfielder Stephanie Johnson (Plantsville) drew a one-out walk and Hancock's double put the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position for Brett, who lined a game-ending, two-run double off Roberts on a 3-2 pitch to score freshman pinch runner Hannah Latham (Salem, NH) and Hancock.

Hancock had four hits in the first game to raise her average to .479 and also walked in five plate appearances, and scored two runs. Junior first baseman Sam Rossetti (Shelton) drove in Eastern's first two runs with a sacrifice fly in the first and RBI single in the third. Digman collected half of her team's six hits. She singled and tied the game in the second, had a leadoff single in the fourth and hit her tying home run in the seventh.

In the second game, Plymouth raked four Eastern pitchers for 11 hits, building an early  3-0  lead. After the Warriors tied the game, Plymouth scored three times in the fourth on RBI singles by No. 9 batter Emma Rhodes and Lange, three walks, a sacrifice bunt and infield throwing error.

Trailing 3-0 in the second game, Eastern got two back in the second on a sacrifice fly from Samantha Rentz and RBI single from senior second baseman Jen Tamindzija (Malden, MA), and tied the game in the third when Brett doubled and came home on Rossetti's single. Plymouth avoided further trouble in the inning when leftfielder Shirley Butterfield reached over the fence to rob Eastern freshman cleanup hitter Tyler Keegan (Middletown) and keep the game tied.

Roberts (4-2) allowed nine hits in the nightcap but didn't walk a batter while fanning two. Batting at the top of the order, Jackson and Lange combined for five hits, two RBI and two runs.

In the doubleheader, Hancock had four hits, Keegan, Brett and Rossetti three each and Tamindzija and junior DH Shannon Martin (Wethersfield) two each. Digman, Lange and Jackson each had three hits and a walk with Digman scoring three runs and Jackson two. Digman and Lange each drove in a pair.

 Eastern hosts Keene State College in a Little East Conference doubleheader Sunday at noon.