WALTHAM, Mass. – Junior first baseman Brandon Grover (Rocky Hill, Conn./Rocky Hill HS) had four hits, three runs scored and two RBI as Bentley University swept St. Michael's College, 3-1 and 10-2, in a Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division baseball doubleheader Saturday afternoon at DeFelice Field.
Bentley, which outscored the Purple Knights 25-3 while taking all three games of the series, extended its winning streak to six games and improved to 15-12 overall. That includes 14-6 since March 5, 9-3 in conference games and 5-3 in the Northeast Division.
In Saturday's first game, Bentley went into the top of the seventh (the Falcons were technically the visitor due to a relocation of the game from Vermont) looking at a 1-0 deficit. Grover led off with a double to center and scored the equalizer on a single to right by sophomore left fielder Luke Figueira (Taunton/ Taunton HS).
An inning later, Grover gave Bentley the lead with his RBI single to right scoring sophomore center fielder Max Troiani (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon HS), who had reached on a single. Later in the eighth, pinch-runner Jake Pierce (East Bridgewater/East Bridgewater HS) scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore shortstop Chris Hopkins (Malden/Malden Catholic HS).
Graduate left-hander Evan Waslh (Arlington/Arlington Catholic HS) earned his fourth win of the season with 7.2 innings of quality pitching. He struck out seven while allowing five hits, two walks and one run. Freshman Jimmy Cunningham (Chatham, N.J./Chatham HS) came in for a four-out save, three of which came via the strikeout.
Bentley outhit two Purple Knights 9-5 with two apiece from Grover and Troiani.
The Falcons, who trailed the nightcap after the opening inning 2-1, seized control with three runs in the third, two in the fourth and one in the fifth for a 7-2 lead. The third inning included RBI singles from sophomore DH Ryan Berardino (Sudbury/Lincoln-Sudbury Reg. HS) and Grover, along with an RBI double from Hopkins.
Bentley totaled 15 hits off four St. Michael's pitchers with eight different Falcons scoring runs, the same number driving in runs. Senior third baseman Mike Samko (Arlington/BB&N) had three hits and Grover, Hopkins, graduate catcher Nathan Littman (Abington/Abington HS) and Figueira all had two.
Junior righty Paul Frisoli (Watertown/Arlington Catholic HS) pitched the first five innings for Bentley and earned the win after allowing five hits and two runs. Freshman Ronald Orie III (Sandy Spring, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel HS) was credited with the save following four innings of three-hit scoreless relief. Both Falcon pitchers struck out three.
St. Michael's dropped to 5-21 on the season and 1-8 in the division. All three runs that the Purple Knights scored in the series came in the first inning.
Bentley is back at home on Tuesday for a 3:30 game against Merrimack.
