MANSFIELD, Conn. – Eastern Connecticut State University junior righty Samantha Valentine (Ridge, NY) shut out  Western Connecticut State University after the first inning as the Warriors completed a Little East Conference sweep with a 5-4 second-game victory Tuesday afternoon at the Eastern Softball Stadium.

In the first game, junior second baseman Danielle Robillard (Swansea, MA) drove in three runs with a double to highlight a six-run second inning and winning pitcher Summer Cipriani (North Stonington) stranded the tying run on second with a game-ending infield ground ball in the Warriors' 7-6 victory.

The sweep is the first in conference play for Eastern  (12-16, 4-4 LEC) at home after being swept by UMass Boston and Keene State College. Western (12-16, 3-5 LEC) was swept for the first time since returning from Florida. The games were a rematch of  last year's LEC tournament title game on this field, won by Eastern in a rout.

Valentine  shut out Western over the final six innings after the Colonials jumped to a 4-0 lead in the first inning of the second game when the first three batters reached safely to set the stage for senior first baseman Michaela Roche's sixth home run of the season.

Eastern got three back in the fourth inning of the second game – two coming in on sophomore leftfielder Jessica Seymour's (Barkhamsted) double – and scored the tying and go-ahead runs in the fifth on senior catcher Taylor Smyth's (Meriden) two-run single.

Cipriani had three hits on the day while Smyth, senior shortstop Alyssa Hancock (Waterford), Robillard and junior DP Kristyn Ryan (Barkhamsted) all had two.

Western collected 21 hits – seven of them for extra bases – but stranded 20 runners, ten in each game. Senior Emily Cintorino homered twice for Western in the first game and pitched 4 2/3 shutout innings of relief. Roche had three hits and four RBI.

Senior Allie Sabith started the opener and was lifted in the second inning and pitched 2 1/3 innings of relief in the nightcap. Sabith  (5-6)  was charged with both losses.

Eastern  visits Babson College Wednesday for a 3 p.m. non-conference doubleheader.