Box Score COLUMBUS, Ga. – In a battle of pre-season Top 10 teams, No. 6 Eastern Connecticut State University scored three runs in its final two at-bats but couldn't overcome an early five-run deficit and dropped a season-opening 7-4 decision to No. 8 Salisbury University Friday afternoon at the NFCA Division III Leadoff Classic at South Commons Complex.
 
While the Warriors were playing their season-opener, Salisbury (11-0) remained undefeated this season and ended a three-game losing streak at the hands of Eastern. The teams were meeting for the first time since Eastern shut out the Sea Gulls, 3-0, at home en route to the 1990 national championship.
 
Salisbury leadoff batter Abby Mace scored her team's first two runs on a single by cleanup hitter Lauren Meyers in the first and double by Ellen Stockman as part of a three-run second.
 
Trailing 4-0, Eastern got one back in the top of the third on a two-out home run by first-team All-America first baseman Brooke Matyasovsky (Orange) – the 26^th of her career. Trailing 7-1 in the sixth, the Warriors got one back on a two-out RBI double by rightfielder Alexis Tyrrell (Torrington) and scored twice in the seventh an RBI single by senior All-America centerfielder Cassie Woods (Mystic) and senior shortstop Julia SanGiovanni's  (East Haven) two-out double before Salisbury freshman Lacey Bateman came on for a game-ending strikeout in relief of junior Lindsey Windsor (5-0).