SPRINGFIELD, Mass. --  Key errors have been often costly this year for a struggling Eastern Connecticut State University softball team. Sunday, in the second game of a non-conference doubleheader against Springfield College at Potter Field, the Warriors found themselves on the receiving end of an opponent's defensive lapse in the ninth inning that gave them a much-needed split.

After junior catcher Kristyn Ryan (Barkamsted) tied the second game in the third inning with a two-run, two-out double, the Warriors scored the go-ahead run in the ninth when junior second baseman Danielle Robillard's (Swansea, MA) bunt was misplayed, allowing sophomore rightfielder Jessica Seymour (Barkhamsted) to score from second (she began the inning on second base in accordance with the international tie-breaker rule). Junior first baseman Samantha Valentine (Ridge, NY) then plated Robillard with an insurance run with her first career extra-base hit – a double to left-center.

Eastern (10-16) lost for the third straight time to Springfield (21-11) in the opener, 2-1. Trailing 2-0, the Warriors cut the deficit in half with a sixth-inning run on senior third baseman Samantha Rentz' (Griswold) two-out triple and a wild pitch, but junior righty Jordyn Moquin retired the side in order in the seventh to preserve the win for sophomore righty Talia Loda.

In the second game, junior lefty Summer Cipriani (North Stonington) finished off a complete- game seven-hitter by stranding the tying run on first base after Springfield had pushed across a run in the bottom of the ninth on a sacrifice bunt and infield out. Cipriani (5-4) did not allow an earned run in tossing her sixth complete game in eight starts this year.

At right: Samantha Valentine's sacrifice bunt in the fourth inning of Sunday's second game advanced two baserunners in a tie game, but was not enough to build a run. The Warriors scored twice in the ninth to gain a doubleheader split.

After the Pride scored two unearned runs in the second inning of the nightcap on a two-out infield throwing error, Eastern bounced back to tie the game in the top of the third. With two out and none on, senior All-America Alyssa Hancock (Waterford) and Rentz both singled to left, and Ryan followed with a two-run double to center that easily plated both runners. Eastern threatened to go ahead in the seventh when Hancock and Rentz each singled with one out, but Moquin escaped with a pair of ground balls.

Both teams had runners picked off after beginning the eighth inning with a runner on second.

In the doubleheader, Rentz had four hits and scored twice, and Cipriani and Hancock contributed two hits apiece. Ryan's clutch double was her only hit of the afternoon.

Eastern, which has beaten Springfield in 12 of the last 15 meetings between the programs, is now 6-8 this season in one-run decisions.

Eastern hosts Western Connecticut in a Little East Conference doubleheader Tuesday at 3 p.m. at the Eastern Softball Stadium.