Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
MANSFIELD, Conn. --  Eastern Connecticut State University sophomore Elizabeth Mitchell (Coventry) tossed her second complete-game shutout in a week with a seven-hitter in a 3-0 victory in the first game of the Warriors' non-conference softball doubleheader split with Trinity College Thursday at Clyde Washburne Field.

In the second game, Trinity (6-4) collected 14 hits off all four Eastern (7-5) pitchers in a 9-2 victory.

Eastern Conn. 3, Trinity 0

Mitchell (4-2) recorded her 20^th career win, stranding 11 baserunners, eight of them through a scoreless five innings before the Warriors broke through by scoring their three (unearned) runs in the bottom of the fifth thanks to RBIs from the bottom three hitters in the lineup. An inning-opening infield error was later followed by an RBI bunt single by junior shortstop Grace Jenkins (Groton), a sacrifice fly by senior second baseman Lily Kenefick (Southington) and an opposite-field double by junior centerfielder Julia Boya (Coventry).

It was Eastern's fourth shutout of the Bantams in the last ten outings between the clubs.

Senior pitcher Kaysen Shikar (2-3) had shut down the Warriors without a hit through four innings, striking out three and getting five ground ball outs, allowing just one baserunner on a walk to Jenkins that opened the third inning.

In the early pitching duel, Mitchell got two inning-ending strikeouts to strand two in the second  and with the game still scoreless, the righty left a total of five on in the fourth and fifth. She left the bags full in the fourth on a line drive out to junior leftfielder Kaley Laird (Bristol) and an inning strikeout and two more aboard in the fifth with a comebacker off the bat of Makenna True.

Mitchell fanned four, walked three and hit two batters. Shikar scattered five hits but was victimized by an inning-opening infield error that led to all three of Eastern's runs. She fanned three and walked two.

Trinity 9, Eastern Conn. 2

The Bantams stranded nine more batters but it was inconsequential  as they ripped through all four Eastern pitchers for 14 hits, stole two bases and committed only one defensive error that accounted for one unearned run.

Trinity scored three runs in the top of the first before Mitchell returned with two outs and two runners in scoring position to face just one batter – inheriting a two-ball count but getting a swinging strikeout on a full count to end the inning.

Batting 1-2 in the lineup, outfielders Abby Alper and Kellie Schroffner combined to reach base six times on four hits (including a triple) and two walks, score four runs and drive in one. Alper was 2-for-3 with two walks and three runs scored. No. 4 and No. 5 hitters Katie Ruffer and Emily Goddard combined to reach base six times on five hits and a walk, drove in two runs and scored three.

Like Shakir in the opener, freshman righty Erin Connor (2-0) pitched a five-hitter (giving up one single to five different players), while fanning four and walking five. Batting leadoff, Jenkins walked twice, stole two bases and scored both Eastern runs. Laird and first-year catcher Jenna Maus (Woodbridge), batting cleanup, drove in Eastern's runs with ground balls.

First-year righty Leah Chatfield (Naugatuck) pitched the final five innings for Eastern, giving up runs in only one inning. The fourth of four pitchers, Chatfield was summoned after Trinity scored twice to take a 6-0 lead in the third, getting two ground balls and a strikeout to leave a runner in scoring position. She allowed only infield singles in the fourth and fifth before the Bantams tacked on three runs on three hits in the sixth.

Eastern hosts the University of Southern Maine in a  Little East Conference season-opening doubleheader Sunday at noon.