MANCHESTER, N.H. – For the first time in program history, the Bentley baseball team is the Northeast 10 Champion. The #2 seed Falcons outlasted #1 Southern New Hampshire, 11-9, Sunday. Bentley did not lose a game during the NE10 Championship, posting a 3-0 record in the tournament.
Nick Pappas was named the NE10 Championship Most Valuable Player. He hit 6-for-14 with a home run, four runs scored, and three RBI in Bentley's three NE10 Championship games.
Sam Belliveau earned a gritty win in Sunday's historic game. His start went 5.2 innings, and he allowed just three hits without getting tagged for an earned run.
Evan McCarthy threw gas out of the bullpen. He entered the game with two outs in the sixth inning, and he did not allow a hit through the eighth inning.
Bentley held an 11-4 advantage heading into the ninth inning, but McCarthy started to miss his spots in the final stanza. A walk, a hit batter, and an error allowed SNHU to load the bases. The Penmen delivered a grand slam to cut the Falcons' lead to 11-8.
Bentley closer
Keegan Antelman came out of the bullpen and struck out two batters before inducing a flyout to seal the historic win.
Jared Berardino set the tone early for Bentley when he crushed a two-run homer in the first inning. Two innings later, the Falcons rallied for four runs.
Brendan Sencaj hit an RBI single, and
Jake Maydak launched a three-run homer to increase Bentley's lead to 7-0.
SNHU rallied for four runs in the fifth inning. The Falcons aided the Penmen's fifth inning by committing an error, issuing two walks, and tossing a couple of wild pitches.
Bentley got three of those runs back in the seventh inning.
Tommy Goonan led off with a walk, and he moved into scoring position when
Jimmy Mitchell put down a sacrifice bunt.
Tommy Bolton then singled to left field, and Goonan came sliding in safely to home plate. After
Jared Berardino was intentionally walked, Pappas and
Stan DeMartinis III delivered consecutive RBI singles.
Sencaj finished the game 4-for-6, while Pappas and DeMartinis both collected three hits. Â
Bentley earned the automatic bid for the NCAA Championship. It is the program's first ever NCAA Championship appearance. The NCAA DII Baseball Selection Show is Sunday, May 10, at 10:30 p.m.
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