WALTHAM, Mass. – Graduate student and All-Region second baseman Mike Samko (Arlington/ BB&N) turned in the first five-hit game by a Bentley University baseball player in a decade and the Falcons pounded out a total of 19 during a 13-5 victory over Assumption College in Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division baseball Friday afternoon at Rocheleau Field.
Samko, who had two RBI and the same number of runs scored, was one of six Falcons with multiple hits in the contest with his four singles and a home run overshadowing productive efforts from junior center Max Troiani (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon HS) and sophomore designated hitter Charlie Auditore (Walpole/Walpole HS), among others.
Troiani was 4-for-6 with a team-best three runs scored and an RBI, and Auditore was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Bentley put runs on the scoreboard in six of the last seven innings, beginning with a four-run third inning. Junior catcher Christopher Butler (Danvers/BB&N), who had his first career home run later in the game, ignited the third-inning rally with a single to left. Junior third baseman Jake Pierce (East Bridgewater/East Bridgewater HS) drove in the game's first run with a single to left and the six-hit inning also included a two-run single down the right field line by junior first baseman Ryan Berardino (Sudbury/Lincoln-Sudbury Reg. HS).
After the Greyhounds closed within one, Auditore made it a 5-3 game in the fifth when his infield single plated Berardino.
Four runs in the seventh made it a 9-3 game. Butler homered to left with one aboard, Samko drove in a run with a single and senior right fielder Brandon Grover (Rocky Hill, Conn./Rocky Hill HS) drew a bases-loaded walk. The Falcons continued the offensive assault with an RBI double by Troiani in the eighth, a Samko homer in the ninth and a run scoring on a wild pitch.
The other players with multiple hits were Pierce, Grover and Butler, all with two.
Assumption totaled 10 hits, including three from junior right fielder R.J. Libby (Middleton).
Sophomore righty Jimmy Hodgson (Newton/Newton North HS) earned his first career win with 3.1 innings of relief and Evan Christopulos (Andover/Andover HS), another sophomore right-hander, closed with two scoreless innings.
Bentley, with the win, improved to 1-1 in divisional play, 2-2 in conference action and 5-13 overall. Assumption slipped to 11-10, including 1-4 NE10 and 0-2 Northeast.
