Home Runs by Grover, Troiani & Figueira Lift Bentley Past No. 4 Southern N.H.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Bentley | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 1 |
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Southern N.H. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
MANCHESTER, N.H. – Senior designated hitter Brandon Grover (Rocky Hill, Conn./ Rocky Hill HS) and junior outfielders Max Troiani (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon HS) and Luke Figueira (Taunton, Mass./Taunton HS) all homered as the Bentley University Falcons upended No. 4 Southern New Hampshire University, 5-2, in Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division baseball Thursday afternoon at Penmen Stadium.
The win was the fourth straight for Bentley, which improved to 7-4 in divisional play and 13-11 against East Region opponents. SNHU, 28-9 overall, dropped to 9-2 in the Northeast Division.
Bentley, 13-18 overall, broke a scoreless tie in the fifth when Grover drove the ball over the right field fence for his fourth home run of the season and 16th of his career. Grover, who was on base three times, was the only Falcon who had two hits.
Junior catcher Christopher Butler (Danvers, Mass./BB&N) led off the next inning with a double to left. Following a sacrifice, Troiani homered to center, his fourth of the season making it a 3-0 game.
After SNHU scored twice without benefit of a hit in the sixth, Bentley returned the lead to three runs in its next at bat. Grover single through the right side and scored on Figueira's home run to left. It was his eighth of the season, which ranks second in the conference, and 15th career.
Reaping the benefits of the long ball was sophomore Evan Christopulos (Andover, Mass./Andover HS). He pitched Bentley's first complete game of the season and scattered four hits. The right-hander did not issue a walk and struck out five while earning his third win of the season.
Taking the loss for the Penmen was junior righty Endy Morales, who entered the game with a 4-1 record. He gave up five hits and all five runs while pitching six and two-thirds innings. Like Christopulos, he struck out five and didn't walk anyone.
The three-game series will continue Friday afternoon with the first pitch moved up to 3 pm in anticipation of weather issues. The game will be televised on a tape-delay basis by Fox College Sports, airing at 3:30 pm.