MANSFIELD, Conn. – Seniors Samantha Rentz (Griswold) and Emily Komornik (Shelton) delivered walk-off RBIs as the Eastern Connecticut State University softball team opened its northern and home seasons with eight-inning 1-0, 5-4 victories over Salve Regina University Friday afternoon at the Eastern Softball Stadium.

Rentz' suicide squeeze bunt with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning plated junior Danielle Robillard (Swansea, MA) from third with the only run of the first game, and Komornik drove a 1-0 pitch into right field to plate senior Alyssa Hancock (Waterford)  and Robillard with the tying and game-winning runs with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning of the second game.

Eastern (5-11) junior righty Samantha Valentine (Ridge, NY) gained credit for the first-game victory with two-thirds inning of relief, and went the distance for the first time in six starts in the nightcap. Valentine gave up ten hits in the second game but did not walk a batter and fanned three.

Utilizing the international tie-breaker rule by starting the eighth inning with a runner on second base, Eastern won the opener when Robillard advanced to third on Hancock's sacrifice bunt and beat the throw home after Rentz dropped a bunt.

Valentine (3-2) had kept the first game tied in the top of the eighth when she left the bases loaded. Valentine entered the game with a two-ball count on Salve (3-9) No. 3 hitter Genevieve Benoit, but induced a comebacker and her throw home forced Megan Guest for the second out. Valentine then got ahead of the count on No. 4 hitter Amanda Riley and got an inning-ending fly ball to junior centerfielder Samantha Bardos (Norwalk).

Salve tied the second game, 3-3, in the top of the seventh inning on Elizabeth Lombardo's two-out single, and moved in front, 4-3, in the top of the eighth inning of the nightcap when Emily Woznick's two-out single to center chased home pinch runner Francesca Galeazzi  to give the Seahawks a 4-3 lead.

In the bottom of the eighth, Robillard reached safely attempting to sacrifice, with Hancock moving to third and putting runners on the corners with none out. Robillard stole second to put the winning run in scoring position before Komornik ended the game with a sharp single to right-center with one out.

Komornik enjoyed her most effective start of the season in the first game, leaving after seven innings of a scoreless game. She fanned five without a walk and scattered seven hits.

Komornik supported her own pitching in the opener by collecting three of her team's four hits off complete-game loser Kelsey Boarman. Boarman (2-4) fanned six and walked five

Eastern junior Kristyn Ryan (Barkhamsted) reached safely five times on the day and in the second game drove in three runs with  a two-run home run and RBI single. Entering the day 1-for-7 on the season, Komornik was 5-for-7 with two doubles, two RBI and a run scored and Rentz had two hits, drove in a run and scored one.

Salve's Lombardo was 5-for-7 on the day with two RBI, with Woznick, Riley and Nikki Bukovsky all picking up two hits apiece.

Eastern opens its Little East Conference season Saturday at Plymouth State University in a 1 p.m. doubleheader.