MANSFIELD, Conn. – The Eastern Connecticut State University softball team erased deficits of 5-0 and 7-3 by  scoring three runs in the fifth inning and six in the sixth to post a 9-7 victory over Western Connecticut State University on the way to a Little East Conference doubleheader split Tuesday night at the Eastern Softball Stadium.

In the second game, Western (7-18-1, 2-4 LEC) broke open a scoreless pitching duel by scoring two runs in the top of the fourth and two in the fifth on the way to a 5-2 victory. A leadoff double by Natalia Hart, a walk, infield error and Kamryn Geysen's RBI single gave the Colonials their 2-0 lead in the fourth, and Western added a pair in the fifth on a hit batter, walk, infield error and Hart's sacrifice fly.

In the first game, Western scored three unearned runs  after there were two out in the first inning  -- two coming home on Charline Plasczynski's two-out home run  -- and added two more in the third on two infield errors and Sara Tenke's RBI double to carry a 5-0 lead into the fifth.

Eastern (12-15, 6-2 LEC) got three back in the bottom of the fifth on three hits – two coming home on freshman utility player Morgan Bolduk's (Vernon) two-out single and two walks, and after Western answered with two in the top of the sixth, Eastern pushed across six runs in the sixth on six hits, two errors a hit batter and intentional walk.

 Freshman DP Kamdynn Moroney's (Sandy Hook) pinch two-run home run in the sixth made it 7-5, sophomore second baseman Jackie Lewis' (Mystic) RBI double cut the gap to one, and Bolduk delivered a two-run single that gave Eastern an 8-7 lead.

Eastern had 19 hits in the doubleheader but commited ten errors that led to seven unearned runs. Bolduk drove in four runs with two hits, Moroney had two RBI on the home run and sophomore shortstop Sara Pisanelli (Wallingford) reached four times with two hits and two walks, drove in two runs and scored two. Senior outfielder Jessica Seymour (Barkhamsted) also reached four times with two hits and two walks. Sophomore third baseman Crysta Wolski (West Hartford) and sophomore centerfield Sabrina LeMere (North Branford) each added three hits for Eastern.

Western, which has played all but two games of its schedule on the road, got two hits and two RBI from Hart, Plasczynski, and Kayla Nowak.  Leadoff hitter Tori Dugan scored four runs and had two hits.

Eastern visits Plymouth State University Saturday in a 1 p.m. conference doubleheader.