WALTHAM, Mass. – Junior center fielder Chelsea Vena (Matawan, N.J./Saint John Vianney HS) had a three-run double in the first and senior lefty Kelly Ferris (Seymour, Conn./Seymour HS) pitched a three-hitter as Bentley University posted an 8-1 game-one victory over Merrimack College in Northeast-10 Northeast Division softball Thursday afternoon at Bentley.

Bentley scored five runs in the first inning of the opener and Merrimack did the same in the nightcap, which was considered a non-conference game. With a 16-hit attack, the Warriors took that one by the count of 9-3.

The first five Falcons to go to the plate in the opener reached and scored to give Ferris a commanding lead. Sophomore second baseman Catie Noons (North Dighton/Dighton-Rehoboth HS) beat out an infield single and moved to second on an errant throw. Another error on an attempted sacrifice by sophomore right fielder Jordan Ballantyne (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./Arlington HS) allowed Noons to score and Ballantyne to replace her on second.

Following a single by junior left fielder Kelsey Kennedy (Bedford, N.H./Bedford HS) and a walk to senior shortstop Alex Borrelli (Salem, N.H./Central Catholic HS), Vena cleared the bases and made it 4-0 with a double to right center. She later scored on a squeeze put down by junior third baseman Katelyn Lebreux (Biddeford, Maine/Biddeford HS).

Vena was also involved in a two-run third inning. She singled to left and scored on an RBI double by senior first baseman Morgan Mazone (Selkirk, N.Y./Bethlehem Central HS). An RBI single later in the inning by junior designated player Kelsey Smith (Jaffrey, N.H./Conant HS) drove in Mazone with the Falcons' seventh run.

In the fifth, Bentley made it an 8-1 game when Lebreux singled and scored on a Noons' single.

Ferris, who notched her seventh win of the season, struck out four while allowing only one run, a fourth-inning homer by freshman third baseman Caitlin McBride (Danvers).

Noons and Vena both had two hits for the Falcons, who finished with nine in the opener.

McBride and winning pitcher Megan Cook (Bellingham), a sophomore righty, each had three hits in game two for Merrimack (17-21, 7-7 NE-10 Northeast).  Cook singled and scored in both the first and second innings, and also doubled in the fourth. McBride drove in Cook both times and finished 3-for-3 with a walk.

Cook, in four innings of work, allowed five hits and three runs while striking out four. Sophomore Brooke Bogasz (Tyngsboro) gained the save following three innings of scoreless relief.

All three of Bentley's runs were scored in the fourth. Vena had a two-run double and scored on an RBI triple to right center by Lebreux.

Bentley (11-15, 7-5 NE-10) is on the road for four games this weekend, beginning with a single game at Saint Anselm Friday at 4 pm.