MANSFIELD, Conn. – Eight days after pitching the team's first complete game in his second career start, Eastern Connecticut State University sophomore lefty Ron Buchetto (Clinton) tossed the staff's first shutout in a 9-0 victory over Western Connecticut State University Tuesday afternoon at the Eastern Baseball Stadium.

Making his seventh appearance in the team's last 14 games,  Buchetto (4-1) scattered three singles, struck out a career-high nine and walked only one as Eastern (12-13, 5-5 Little East) won for the fifth time in the last seven outings in a game with major LEC post-season tournament ramifications.

The defending regular-season and tournament champion Warriors entered play in sixth place – the final post-season position. The Eastern win coupled with the Western (12-12, 5-5 Little East) loss moves the Warriors into a three-way tie for fourth with Western and UMass Boston. Defending regional champion University of Southern Maine and UMass Dartmouth maintained a share of the LEC lead with wins, while Rhode Island College – which swept Eastern Saturday in Providence—dropped a game back by losing to homestanding UMass Dartmouth.

Eastern gave Buchetto the only runs he would need by scoring twice in the second on senior rightfielder Kyle Hart's (Guilford) single, two walks and an infield error. Junior third baseman Chad Adams (Ware, MA) – batting cleanup for only the second time this year -- belted his team-leading fifth home run of the season over the left field fence to make it 3-0 in the third and chase freshman righty starter Corey Brosz, who lost in his first career decision.

Sophomore leadoff hitter Pat Sirois' (Cromwell) sacrifice fly and a passed ball made it 5-0 in the fifth and an RBI double by junior DH Andrew Scully (Stratford), error and Hart's RBI single added three more in the sixth.

Senior second baseman Corey Keane (Tolland) extended his hitting streak to 12 with a first-inning single, one of 12 Eastern hits off four Western pitchers. One of four players with two hits, sophomore shortstop Christian Budzik (Cromwell) drove in two runs from the No. 8 spot in the order with an infield ground ball and fifth-inning single.

Having pitched only six innings in five relief appearances without a decision as a freshman, Buchetto lowered his ERA to 2.70 in a staff-high 33 1/3 innings this year. He has struck out 28 and walked only seven.

Eastern visits Wheaton College – ranked fourth in New England -- Wednesday at 4 p.m.