PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Senior righty Erin Miller (Waterford) pitched her tenth career shutout with a three-hitter in the opener and sophomore Kristyn Ryan (Barkhamsted) doubled in two runs in a three-run first inning in the nightcap in Eastern Connecticut State University's 8-0, 5-2 Little East Conference sweep of Rhode Island College Saturday afternoon at the Dayna A. Bazar Stadium. The first game was stopped after five innings.
Now 15-1-1 in its last 17, Eastern (21-4-1, 9-1 Little East) opens up a one-game lead over idle Western Connecticut State University in its search of a sixth straight conference regular-season title. The Colonials visit the University of Massachusetts Boston Sunday in a noon doubleheader. Eastern has four conference regular-season games remaining.
Miller (8-2) allowed only five baserunners on three singles, a walk and infield error, while fanning seven. She walked the leadoff batter in the game, but rebounded to strike out the side without allowing another walk.
Junior Taylor Smyth (Meriden) and sophomores Samantha Bardos (Norwalk) and Gina Georgetti (Milford) all drove in two runs in the first game. Smyth had two hits – including a two-run triple in a five-run first inning – and scored twice. In the first inning, Georgetti singled in the first two runs and Smyth plated the next two, then scored on an infield ground ball.
Ryan doubled in the first two runs in the first inning of the second game, and scored on sophomore Summer Cipriani's (North Stonington) RBI single to give sophomore righty Samantha Valentine (Ridge, NY) an early cushion. Valentine (9-2) pitched a complete-game eight-hitter, walking one without a strikeout. One of the runs she allowed was unearned.
Ryan and Cipriani each had two hits in the second game. Three of the Eastern runs were unearned, Rhode Island (5-17, 1-7 Little East) commiting four errors.
Justina Thomas had half of Rhode Island's hits in the second game. The No. 3 hitter singled three times and doubled once and scored a run.
Eastern visits the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Tuesday at 3 p.m. in a doubleheader.
