LAKE BRANTLEY, Fla. – A three-run home run in the first inning and a two-run blast in the fifth, along with 13 strikeouts from a trio of pitchers, propelled the University of Bridgeport to a 6-3 win over Bentley University in non-conference baseball Tuesday afternoon at Lake Brantley High School.

The 5-4-1 Purple Knights, who took three of four in the series with the Falcons, jumped on top with a three-run homer to left from freshman left fielder John Chacho (Seymour, Conn.).

Bentley got on the scoreboard in the fourth, making it a 3-1 game. Graduate third baseman Jake Pierce (East Bridgewater, Mass./East Bridgewater HS) singled to right, advanced to second on a throw and scored on a single to right by senior catcher Christopher Butler (Danvers, Mass./BB&N).

Bridgeport used the long ball again in the fifth, this time a two-run shot by senior catcher Alex Rauso (Trumbull, Conn.), to go up 5-1. Both Purple Knight round trippers came with two outs.

After Bridgeport added to its total with a single run in the sixth, Bentley scored in both the eighth and ninth innings. Freshman Ricky Offenberg (Westport, Conn./Choate Rosemary Hall) drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth for his first career RBI, and Pierce picked up an RBI in the ninth on a ground out.

Bentley, just 3 of 17 with runners on base, stranded a dozen, including five in the final two innings.

On the mound, Bridgeport was led by freshman right hander Jagger Duquette (Bristol, Conn.), who struck out nine and scattered seven hits in seven innings of work.

Sophomore center fielder Ryan Donnelly (Fairfield, Conn.) and sophomore shortstop Logan Allen (Magnolia, Texas) each had three hits for Bridgeport while Berardino had two for Bentley.

The Falcons, 3-9, will face Bloomfield College Wednesday at 11 am at Lynn University.