MANCHESTER, N.H.  – Bentley University graduate student and right-hander Bill Sullivan (Carver/Carver HS) struck out 12 batters to break the Falcons'  single season record before Southern New Hampshire University pulled out a 2-1 win in 10 innings in the opening round of the Northeast-10 Conference Baseball Championships Tuesday night at Penmen Field.

Southern New Hampshire, ranked fourth nationally in Division II, improved to 40-7 overall and advanced to the double-elimination portion of the championships. Bentley, 11-30, finished its season with its tenth one-run loss of the season.

After a brilliant pitchers' duel between Sullivan and SNHU junior righty Mitchell Powers (Portland, Maine), Bentley sophomore reliever Luke Dawson (Stamford, Conn./Westhill HS) gave up a one-out triple to right to SNHU shortstop Zach Goldstein (Merrick, N.Y.) in the bottom of the tenth.

Dawson retired the next batter on a grounder to second before giving up a game-ending single up the middle to senior left fielder Derek Bauer (Millis, Mass.). It was the fourth hit in five at bats for the number three hitter in the Penmen lineup.

Bentley had just one base runner all night, a one-out home run to left in the fourth by freshman designated hitter Max Troiani (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon HS) that put the Falcons up 1-0.

It stayed that way until the bottom of the sixth when junior shortstop Kyle Pangallo (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) drove in Bauer with a two-out double down the left field line. SNHU tried to score the go-ahead run on the play but he was thrown out by sophomore left fielder Gina Fordiani (Sudbury/ Lincoln-Sudbury Reg. HS).

Powers, who went all ten inning, struck out 13 while improving to 5-2 on the season. He threw just 111 pitches, including 79 strikeouts.

Sullivan, lifted after nine following 140 pitches, walked three and allowed five hits. His 12 strikeouts gave him 90 for the season, breaking the mark of 85 set by Rob Finneran in 2010. He finished his career with 193, second most in program history.