WALTHAM, Mass. – In her final career regular season game, senior Elise Pereira (Plainville/King Philip Reg. HS) pitched her seventh career shutout, a three-hitter, to lead Bentley University to a 6-0 game two win over Stonehill College in the second half of a Northeast-10 Conference softball doubleheader Friday afternoon at Father Gartland Field.

The victory in the regular season finale, Bentley's eighth in its last ten games, followed a 2-1 10-inning loss to the Skyhawks in the opener.

A three-run second inning gave Pereira and the Falcons more runs than they would need. Freshman right fielder Katie Welch (Monroe, Conn./Masuk HS), who had her third straight two-hit game, singled to center. Graduate third baseman Kaileen Cain (Hauppauge, N.Y./Hauppauge HS) followed with a single and both scored on a double to left by freshman designated player Dahlia Fink (Sherman Oaks, Calif./Notre Dame HS). Fink made it a 3-0 game when she scored on a double by sophomore shortstop Sabrina Grizzaffi (Ridgefield, Conn./Ridgefield HS).

Bentley extended its lead to 6-0 with two runs in the fourth. Freshman left fielder Jordan Krause (San Pedro, Calif./San Pedro HS) had an RBI single and later scored on an error.

Pereira struck out six, did not walk anyone and allowed only two Skyhawks to reach second base,

In addition to Welch, Grizzaffi had two hits for the Falcons.

In the opener, Stonehill (15-23, 11-15 NE10) began the tenth with freshman May Dwyer (Beacon Falls, Conn.) on second base. She was sacrificed to third and scored the walk-off on a bunt by freshman Chloe Kelly (East Bridgewater).

Prior to the tenth, each team had scored just once. After Stonehill used a leadoff triple to score in the fourth, Welch hit her first career home run in the fifth.

Bentley threatened a couple times late in the game, but was unable to capitalize. The Falcons had two in scoring position with one out in the sixth and runners on first and second with two outs in the seventh.

Welch, senior catcher Ella Hillier (Tualatin, Ore./Tualatin HS) and junior center fielder Sam Petow (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury HS) each had two hits for Bentley.

Bentley finished the regular season at 24-18 overall, a school record for victories, and 14-12 NE10). The Falcons have clinched a Northeast-10 playoff berth and will play a first-round game on Tuesday. Pairings will be announced Saturday night.