MANSFIELD, Conn. -- Senior Shannon Martin (Wethersfield) hit a two-run home run in the first game and ended the second game with an opposite field RBI single to left with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Eastern Connecticut State University softball team swept the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 8-0 in six innings and 7-6 Tuesday evening at the Eastern Softball Stadium.

Eastern (18-4, 7-1 Little East) scored twice in the seventh inning of the nightcap to erase a one-run deficit. Sophomore Kristyn Ryan (Barkhamsted) -- who had started the game but was lifted in the second inning -- returned to tie the game with a one-out RBI single to left and Martin ended the game when she drove the first pitch she saw into left-center field to score sophomore Summer Cipriani (North Stonington). Cipriani had singled and sophomore second baseman Gina Georgetti (Milford) was walked to load the bases.

Senior righty Erin Miller (Waterford) was credited with the first-game win with a complete-game four-hit shutout to improve her record to 7-2. Sophomore righty Samantha Valentine (Ridge, NY) started the second game, left after four innings of a 2-2 tie, and returned while UMD was scoring three runs to move ahead, 6-5 in the top of the seventh. She was credited with her eighth win in ten decisions after the Warriors won the game in the bottom of the seventh.

Both team's starting pitchers -- Valentine and freshman righty Hannah Smith of UMD -- returned in the seventh inning. Valentine got all three outs of the seventh after entering with two runners aboard and three runs in. Smith was summoned after Georgetti was walked to load the bases. She allowed Ryan's tying single and Martin's winning single.

Eastern visits Wesleyan University for a non-conference makeup doubleheader Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.