(l-r) Lamarre Rey, Jeff Croteau & JP Ashline after the Bentley win!
(l-r) Lamarre Rey, Jeff Croteau & JP Ashline after the Bentley win!

Trio of 4-Run Innings Propels Bentley Past Rollins, 14-3

WINTER PARK, Fla. – The Bentley University Falcons used a trio of four-run innings and five innings of scoreless relief from sophomore lefty Ryan O'Connor (Newburyport, Mass./Newburyport HS) to defeat Rollins College for the second straight day, 14-3, in non-conference college baseball Sunday afternoon at Alfond Stadium.

The Falcons, who improved to 3-2 on the season, used 14 hits, including a season-best 11 in 22 at bats with runners in scoring position, and received RBI from seven different players, including four from junior shortstop Will Brennan (Locust Valley, N.Y./Locust Valley HS).

After Rollins matched the Falcons' two-run first inning, Bentley regained the lead with four runs in the second. Junior center fielder Sean Keady (Norwood, Mass./Norwood HS) walked, stole second and took third on a single by freshman first baseman Evan Mondor (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth HS). Senior second baseman Logan Gillis (Merrimack, N.H./Lawrence Academy) followed with an RBI single to left, putting the Falcons in front to stay.

Junior right fielder Tom Nagy (Fairfield, Conn./Ludlowe HS)  drove the next pitch over the left field fence, making it a 6-2 game. The homer was the third of the year for the Fairfield transfer and gave him 10 RBI in the season's first five games.

Bentley put up another four-spot in the sixth, extending the lead to 10-3, and again, Keady got it started with a walk and steal. Mondor singled to center, putting runners on the corners, and Keady scored on Gillis' grounder to second. Following a single by senior catcher Kevin Korwek (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand HS), Brennan doubled, with Mondor and Korwek scoring, and he later scored on a single by junior third baseman Nate Witkowski (Melrose, Mass./Malden Catholic HS).

The third four-run inning came in the eighth. Brennan had a sacrifice fly, Korwek singled and scored on a fielder's choice, and Mondor delivered a two-run single down the left field line.

Mondor and Korwek each finished with three hits, and Keady, Gillis and Witkowski all had a pair of hits. Eight different Falcons crossed home plate, including Keady and Mondor, the first two batters in the lineup, three times apiece.

O'Connor, in his five innings of work, gave up only four hits while walking one and striking out one. He took over for senior righty Lamarre Rey (Lynn, Mass./Pingree School) who yielded five hits and two earned runs in four innings.

The three-game series with the 1-5 Tars concludes on Monday at noon with the Falcons looking for the sweep.