Will Mattern
Will Mattern

2-Run Single by Mattern Helps Bentley Best Rollins, 5-1

WALTHAM, Mass. – Bentley University freshman third baseman Will Mattern (Orlando, Fla./Lake Highland Prep) broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run single up the middle in the eighth inning and the Falcons went on to post a 5-1 non-conference win over Rollins College in college baseball action Friday afternoon at DeFelice Field.

Bentley, ranked sixth in the East Region, improved to 20-11 overall with its 19th win in its last 23 games. Rollins, which was hurt by five errors, dropped to 15-26 on the season.

Back-to-back singles by senior shortstop Will Brennan (Locust Valley, N.Y./Locust Valley HS) and senior right fielder Tom Nagy (Fairfield, Conn./Ludlowe HS) ignited the Falcons'  eighth-inning rally. Junior center fielder Mike Muir (Bridgewater/Xaverian Bros. HS) followed with a sun-lost single to left, loading the bases with no out.

Mattern, who entered the game in the top of the inning after senior third baseman Nate Witkowski (Melrose/Malden Catholic HS) moved to the pitcher's mound for the Falcons, made it a 3-1 game with Brennan and Nagy scoring on his single. After a pitching change and a Rollins' double play, back-to-back walks loaded the bases.

Rollins coach Jon Sjogren went back to his bullpen and the results were no better as both senior left fielder Sean Keady (Norwood/Norwood HS) and freshman second baseman Burton Deady (Andover/Andover HS) drew free passes to force in the Falcons' third and fourth runs of the inning, making it a 5-1 game.

Witkowski, who pitched a 1-2-3 eighth, did the same in the ninth to record his first win of the season and complete a combined four-hitter for the Falcons. Freshman righty Nick Taber (Eastham/ Nauset Reg. HS) made his first career start and gave coach Bob DeFelice seven quality innings (four hits, three walks, one strikeout, one run).

Rollins was first on the scoreboard, scoring in the top of the fifth on an infield single by junior second baseman Brett Flutie (Natick).

Bentley answered an inning later with Deady scoring from third on the Tars' third error of the inning. The Falcons had a chance to take the lead but a double play with the bases loaded got Rollins senior righty Eric Morse (East Lyme, Conn.) out of trouble.

Rollins had a chance to score on Flutie's seventh-inning single, but Keady threw out sophomore Tyler Fairbanks (Potomac, Mich.) at the plate with a perfect throw from left.

Bentley totaled nine hits, including two apiece by Brennan, Nagy and Muir.

The Falcons are at Franklin Pierce for the weekend, with the schedule revised due to the forecasted inclement weather. The two teams will now play a single game at 4 pm Saturday and a doubleheader Sunday at 1 pm.