WALTHAM, Mass. – Sophomore third baseman Keaira Monet Perry (Bellingham) had five hits, with three RBI, and sophomore designated player Allison Berthiaume (Berkley) was 4-for-5 in the doubleheader as Merrimack College took two from Bentley University, 8-3 and 9-5, in Northeast-10 Conference softball Tuesday afternoon at Bentley.

Bentley was led in the doubleheader by junior catcher/left fielder Erica Thibodeau (Cohoes, N.Y./Shaker HS), with three hits and three runs scored.

The Warriors, who never trailed in the doubleheader while improving to 15-20 overall and 9-14 in the conference, look their first lead of the day in the third inning of game one. Sophomore Nicole LoPilato (Medford) doubled to center and scored on a single to center by junior Tawny Palmieri (Peabody).

An RBI single by Perry in the fourth made it a 2-0 game and the Warriors stretched their lead to 5-0 with three in the top of the sixth. Perry was again in the middle of things with an RBI double, with the other runs scoring on a wild pitch and an error.

Bentley matched Merrimack in the bottom of the same inning with senior catcher Megan Blier (Wells, Maine/Wells HS) driving in one with a double down the left field line and two others scoring on a single up the middle by sophomore third baseman Kelly Sanborn (Hopkinton/Hopkinton HS).

The Falcon momentum didn't last long as Merrimack restored the lead to four with two runs in the top of the seventh.

Game two saw Merrimack explode for five runs in the top of the first inning with Perry providing an RBI single, Berthiaume a two-run double and LoPilato a two-run homer.

Bentley came part way back in the bottom half of the frame, putting three runs on the board. Junior second baseman Erin McDonough (Braintree/Braintree HS) had an RBI single and Sanborn had a two-run double. The Falcons closed to within one in the third, Thibodeau scoring on a wild pitch after reaching on a double to left center.

Merrimack regained control with two runs in the fourth, an inning that featured triples by both senior Alex Gallant (Salem, N.H.) and Palmieri.

Junior Kelli Jo Deardorff (Bedford) won both ends of the doubleheader for Merrimack, pitching a complete game five-hitter in the opener and coming back with 4.1 innings of one-run relief in game two.

Bentley (8-26, 6-20 NE-10) closes out its season this weekend with home doubleheaders against Southern Connecticut Saturday and New Haven Sunday. Both are scheduled for 12 noon starts.