WALTHAM, Mass. – A pair of bases-loaded walks in the bottom of the ninth inning, including a walk-off to junior left fielder Liam Sears (Springfield/Pope Francis HS), gave Bentley University a 5-4 season-opening victory over nationally-ranked Franklin Pierce University in the first game of a Northeast-10 Conference baseball doubleheader on DeFelice Field Saturday afternoon.

Franklin Pierce, ranked 16th in Division II this game, came back to salvage a split of the twinbill with a 13-6 game two victory.

In the ninth inning of the opener, following an opening strikeout, sophomore right fielder Tim Zupkus (Middlebury, Conn./Holy Cross HS) and sophomore shortstop Joe Boushell (Mansfield/Wheeler School) drew consecutive walks.

An infield error loaded the bases and brought graduate first baseman Ryan Berardino (Sudbury/Lincoln-Sudbury Reg. HS) to the plate. He worked a walk, allowing Zupkus to trot home with the game-tying run. The Ravens' fourth walk of the inning was issued to Sears and forced in Boushell with the game-ending run.

Bentley held a 3-1 lead for much of the contest after scoring three times in the second. Freshman center fielder Joe Cacciatore (Lexington/Lexington HS) plated the Falcons' first DeFelice Field run in 690 days with a single and Zupkus had a two-run single to right center.

Franklin Pierce senior catcher Dylan Jones (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) tied the game with a solo homer to left in the eighth and the Ravens regained the lead in the top of the ninth on a two-out bases-loaded walk to junior shortstop Randy Flores (Brooklyn, N.Y.).

Bentley outhit the visitors 8-4 with Sears and Boushell each finishing with a pair.

Grad student Paul Frisoli (Watertown/Arlington Catholic HS) started and pitched four quality innings for Bentley, allowing one hit and one run while striking out four.

In the second game, Franklin Pierce (4-1, 1-1 NE10) established an early lead with three runs in the first, four in the second and one more in the third. Bentley cut the spread in half with four runs in the fourth but the visitors bounced back with the same number in the next half inning.

Graduate third baseman Tyler Patane (Lake Grove, N.Y.) and junior designated hitter Jake Miller (Waltham) each had three hits for Franklin Pierce with Miller driving in four runs and Patane three. Junior center fielder Joel Lara (Boston) also had a productive game for the Ravens, with two hits, two runs and three RBI.

Zupkus was 3-for-4 in game two with two runs scored, and sophomore third baseman Steve Rizzuto (Belmont/Belmont HS) had three hits and two RBI for the Falcons.

Franklin Pierce totaled 14 hits in the contest, doubling up the Falcons.

The two teams will complete their four-game series Wednesday on DeFelice Field. The doubleheader, previously slated for noon Sunday, was rescheduled due to the expected inclement weather.