NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Senior catcher Nick DeProspo (Worcester, Mass.) had five hits and three RBI, and junior lefty Chris Zbin (Colchester, Conn.) held off a late Falcon rally, as Southern Connecticut State swept Bentley University, 8-4 and 6-4, in Northeast-10 Conference baseball Saturday afternoon at the Ball Park at SCSU.

Southern Connecticut, ranked fifth in Division II by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, improved to a sensational 26-1, including 11-1 in the NE-10.  Bentley slipped to 8-17 overall and 2-8 in the NE-10, with six of the losses to teams in the top three in the conference standings.

In the nightcap, after closing to within 5-4 with two runs in the seventh, Bentley looked to keep the comeback going in the eighth. The inning started on a promising note as junior catcher Kevin Korwek (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand HS) led off with a double and sophomore second baseman Logan Gillis (Merrimack, N.H./Lawrence Academy) followed with the single, giving the Falcons runners on first and third with no outs.

Zbin, 6-1 on the season, left them right there as he escaped the inning with a strikeout, a foul pop-up and a fly ball to left.

Bentley's seventh inning rally began with a one-out single by sophomore first baseman Lamarre Rey (Lynn, Mass./Lynn Classical HS). Junior left fielder Mark Lane (Tyngsboro, Mass./Tyngsboro HS) reached on an error, and freshman center fielder Sean Keady (Norwood, Mass./Norwood HS) followed with an RBI single. Senior third baseman Ross Curley (Lexington, Mass./Lexington HS) doubled in Lane, but Keady, the potential tying run, was held at third. A fielder's choice, in which Keady was thrown out at the plate, and a strikeout allowed Zbin and Southern to escape the inning with the one-run lead.

Bentley, which had picked up single runs in the second and sixth innings, finished with 10 hits. Gillis was 3-for-4 and both Rey and senior right fielder Chris Hardy (Warwick, R.I./Bishop Hendricken HS) had two hits.

DeProspo homered for the Owls and sophomore center fielder Mike Cleary (West Boylston, Mass.) had two hits, two runs scored and two RBI. Zbin, before giving way to senior righty Michael Johnston (Thomaston, Conn.) in the ninth, struck out ten.

The opener saw Bentley jump on top with two runs in the second inning, with Korwek and Gillis both scoring on a single by junior shortstop Vinnie Eruzione (Winthrop, Mass./Winthrop HS). After Southern countered with a four-run third, the Falcons struck for two more in the fourth to even the count at four runs apiece. Eruzione had an RBI double down the line and scored on a single to center by Rey.

Southern seized control with three runs in the bottom of the sixth, all the damage done after the inning opened with two strikeouts. Freshman second baseman T.J. Kiernan (Wallingford, Conn.) and DeProspo had RBI singles, and Kiernan scored on a wild pitch.

Eruzione and freshman DH Nathan Witkowski (Melrose, Mass./Malden Catholic HS) each had two of Bentley's seven hits, and DeProspo powered Southern with three hits and two RBI.

Bentley is off until Wednesday when they play a 3:00 game at Tufts University.

At New Haven, Conn.

GAME 1: SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT 8, BENTLEY 4

Bentley                020  200  000  --  4  7  1

So. Conn.             004  003  01x  --  8  10  2

B - Dan Murphy, Anthony Dhioinis (7), Sam Cummings (8) and Greg Baggett; SC - A.J. Turnier, Mike Johnston (9) and Nick DeProspo; W - Turnier (6-0); L - Murphy (1-3); 2B - B, Logan Gillis, Vinnie Eruzione; SC, Kyle Cummings, Nick DeProspo, A.J. Rouleau.

GAME 2: SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT 6, BENTLEY 4

Bentley (8-17, 2-8)          010  001  200  --  4  10  3

So. Conn. (26-1, 11-1)     110  201  01x  --  6  13  2

B - John Yohe, Greg Ciavarella (8) and Kevin Korwek; SC - Chris Zbin, Mike Johnston (9) and Nick DeProspo; W - Zbin (6-1); L - Yohe (2-4); SV - Johnston; HR - SC, DeProspo (3); 2B - B, Ross Curley, Chris Hardy, Korwek; SC, Bryan Dorsey 2, Mike Cleary.