MANSFIELD, Conn – Senior first baseman Brooke Matyasovsky (Orange) continued her hot hitting this week with a 4-for-6 afternoon for Eastern Connecticut State University Softball with two more home runs to power the Warriors (32-4, LEC 13-1) to an LEC doubleheader sweep over Rhode Island College, 9-1 and 12-4, helping Eastern clinch the number one seed and at least a share of their first Little East Conference regular season title since 2015 at Clyde Washburne Field.
 
The Warriors will host the six-team, four-day tournament starting next Wednesday afternoon as the number one seed, earning a bye on the first day of the tournament. Game times for each day of the tournament are currently slated for 1:00 PM, 3:30 PM, and 6:00 PM.
 
Over the last two days of doubleheaders, Matyasovsky has gone 8-for-12 with four home runs, three doubles, three singles, and 12 RBIs while scoring five times. The four home runs bring Matyasovsky's career total to 38, moving within two of tying All-America third baseman Arielle Cooper '13 for most all-time at 40 home runs.
 
Eastern Conn. 9, Rhode Island College 1 (F/5)
 
Four Anchorwoman (10-14, 4-10 LEC) errors led to six unearned runs for Eastern in game one starting with a first inning passed ball to put them up 1-0. After junior second baseman Alyssa Vilchez (Brampton, ON) reached on the first Rhode Island College error to score a run, a single by graduate outfielder Cassie Woods (Mystic) and two-run double by Matyasovsky helped Eastern take control, 5-0, in the second inning.
 
First-year outfielder Paige Jones singled home a run for the Anchorwomen in the fifth inning after an error by Woods in the outfield allowed first-year right-hander Abby Kidd, who started game one for Rhode Island College, to cross the plate and make it 5-1. Utilizing a solo home run by senior third baseman Julia SanGiovanni (East Haven), her sixth of the season, and taking advantage of back-to-back Anchorwomen errors, the Warriors applied the mercy rule with a two-out, two-run double with the bases loaded by Woods to win their 15^th consecutive game.
 
Starting for the second consecutive day, sophomore right-hander Alexis Michon (Montville) pitched four shutout innings to earn her 16^th win of the season while giving up no hits, striking out five, and walking two batters. In relief, senior right-hander Carley Stoker (Sandy Creek, NY) went one inning while allowing one run (unearned) on one hit while walking a batter. Stoker has now gone five consecutive appearances spanning 10 innings without allowing an earned run.
 
Eastern Conn. 12, Rhode Island College 4 (F/5)
 
A 10-run first inning would be all the Warriors needed to push past Rhode Island College to clinch the Little East Conference one-seed and the rights to host the tournament next week. With her first two-run home run of the first inning, Matyasovsky got Eastern on the board, 2-0, before five walks, a hit batter, and passed ball manufactured four more Warrior runs. Graduate outfielder Alexis Tyrrell (Torrington) singled home two more runs before Matyasovsky's second blast ended the scoring for Eastern in the first.
 
The two-home run game was the third multi-home run game of Matyasovsky's career, breaking a tie with outfielder Leigha Abair, who had two multi-home run games, for most career multi-home run games. Matyasovsky would pinch-hit in the fifth inning, hitting a line drive double to the wall in left field to give Eastern their second mercy rule of the afternoon, 12-4.
 
First-year outfielder Maggie Baker (Hudson, MA) recorded her first collegiate hit and RBI with an infield single in game two. Baker also stole her 22^nd base in 22 attempts in game one, moving her within two steals of All-American shortstop Alyssa Hancock '16 who stole 24 consecutive bases during the 2015 season. The all-time record was set by Leanne Shoop with 31 consecutive base steals from 1990-1992.
 
Making her first collegiate start as designated player before spending time in the field at third base, first-year utility player Victoria Heaphy (East Haven) went 1-for-2 with her first collegiate double and run scored in the 12-4 victory.
 
With her second-inning single in game one, Cassie Woods recorded her 100^th hit in an Eastern uniform, making her the 46^th player in program history to reach the mark. Going 2-for-5 in the doubleheader, Woods has totaled 155 career hits between her time with Keene State College and with the Warriors.
 
Winners of 16 consecutive games, the Warriors surpassed their fifth longest win streak in program history of 15 games set back in 1992 and tied their fourth longest win streak set in 1987 at 16 consecutive games. During the win streak, Eastern has recorded eight shutouts and allowed no more than two runs in 15 consecutive games before their game two win.
 
The Warriors close out their 2022 regular season schedule with a Little East Conference doubleheader against Plymouth State University on Saturday afternoon. First pitch for game one is slated for 1:00 PM. A doubleheader sweep for Eastern ensures their first outright Little East Conference regular season title since 2015.