Erica Thibodeau
Erica Thibodeau

Theriault, Thibodeau Shine in Game 2 as Bentley Sweeps St. Michael’s, 3-2 and 8-0

WALTHAM, Mass. -- Sophomore Lindsey Theriault (Burlington/Brooks School) came within four outs of a no-hitter and classmate Erica Thibodeau (Cohoes, N.Y./Shaker HS) capped a five-run second inning with a three-run home run as Bentley University completed a sweep of St. Michael's College with an 8-0 shutout in game two of a Northeast-10 Conference softball doubleheader played at Bentley.

In the opener, Bentley opened a 3-0 lead with one in the fifth and two in the sixth before holding on for a 3-2 win over the Purple Knights.

The sweep boosted Bentley to 9-5 overall, the team's best record after 14 games since 1999 when the Falcons also started at 9-5, and evened the NE-10 record at 2-2. St. Michael's dropped to 2-10 overall and 0-2 in the conference.

Theriault's first career victory, complete game and shutout saw her take a no-hitter into the bottom of the sixth (St. Michael's was the home team even though the games were in Waltham). She retired the first two, the second on a nice stop of a ball up the middle by shortstop Stephanie Kasson (Hyde Park, N.Y./ Franklin D. Roosevelt HS).

Freshman Greer Lemnah (Lyndon Center, Vt.) broke up the no-no, hitting the ball to short left-center, just out of the reach of diving center fielder Jackie Gauthier (Braintree/Braintree HS).  Theriault, who had retired 17 in a row after a walk to Lemnah to open the game, finished strong, with four ground outs to close out the game. She struck out two batters along the way.

Bentley did most of its scoring in the second with all five runs unearned. A single by freshman third baseman Kelly Sanborn (Hopkinton/Hopkinton HS) was followed by a sacrifice and a pair of errors, the second allowing Sanborn to score. An infield single by Kasson plated the second run, and Thibodeau followed with her second career home run.

Bentley built on the lead with one in the sixth, Kasson scoring on a passed ball after an infield single (her third hit of the game) and a stolen base. In the seventh, freshman first baseman Samantha Tierney (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketchum HS) had a sacrifice fly and junior second baseman Afton Dean (Lynn/Lynn Classical HS) had an RBI single.

In the opener, Gauthier hit a one-out triple in the sixth and scored the game's first run on an error. The Falcons added two runs, without benefit of a hit, in the sixth, with Gauthier picking up an RBI on a ground out.

St. Michael's came back with two in the bottom of the seventh, but junior Tara Fogarty (Chester, N.Y./John S. Burke Catholic HS) stranded the potential tying run on third by getting a game-ending strikeout. It was the eight K of the game for Fogarty, who improved to 8-4 on the season.

Gauthier had two of Bentley's seven hits, and senior first baseman Kate Condon (Holliston) was 3-for-3 for St. Michael's.

Bentley is back at home this weekend for noon doubleheaders against Assumption College Saturday and American International College Sunday.

 

At Waltham

GAME 1: BENTLEY 3, ST. MICHAEL'S 2

Bentley                000  012  0  --  3  7  3

St. Michael's       000  000  2  --  2  6  2

(Bentley was visiting team)

B - Tara Fogarty and Megan Blier; SM - Stephanie Frank and Kelly Rose Losi; W - Fogarty (8-4); L - Frank (1-6); 3B - B, Meghan Carter, Jackie Gauthier.

GAME 2: BENTLEY 8, ST. MICHAEL'S 0

Bentley (9-5, 2-2)                   050  001  2  --  8  8  0

St. Michael's (2-10, 0-2)       000  000  0  --  0  1  3

(Bentley was visiting team)

B - Lindsey Theriault and Megan Blier; SM - Laura McCormack and Kelly Rose Losi; W - Theriault (1-1); L - McCormack (1-4); HR - B, Thibodeau (1).