WALTHAM, Mass. – A two-run fifth inning that included a sacrifice fly by freshman designated player Chelsea Vena (Matawan, N.J./Saint John Vianney HS) and an RBI single by senior second baseman Laura McDonough (Braintree/Braintree HS) propelled Bentley University to a 4-3 win over The College of Saint Rose in the first game of a Northeast-10 Conference non-divisional softball doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Bentley.

The nightcap saw Saint Rose (7-10, 3-3 NE-10) score twice in the top of the seventh to break a scoreless tie and prevail 2-0, earning a split of the twinbill.

Single runs in the first and second innings gave Bentley an early first-game lead. Freshman designated player Kelsey Kennedy (Bedford, N.H./Bedford HS) led off with a walk and scored the game's first run on a sacrifice fly by sophomore shortstop Alex Borrelli (Salem, N.H./Central Catholic HS). In the second, an RBI single by Kennedy drove in senior first baseman Samantha Tierney (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketchum HS), who had also singled.

After an unearned run by Saint Rose in the fourth and a home run by Golden Knight senior center fielder Olivia Reeves (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) in the fifth tied the game, Bentley regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth.

An error, a fielder's choice in which no one was retired, and a passed ball gave Bentley two runners in scoring position with no outs. A sacrifice fly by Vena put the Falcons in front and McDonough bunted for a hit to bring in Kennedy with the second run of the inning. The hit was the second of the game for McDonough.

Saint Rose got one run back in the seventh and had the potential tying run on third before grad student Carly Taitz (Blue Point, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point HS) closed out the game with her fourth strikeout in two innings of relief.

Sophomore Kelly Ferris (Seymour, Conn./Seymour HS) picked up her second win of the season, striking out four in her five innings of work, and Taitz was credited with the save.

The nightcap was a pitcher's duel between freshmen Michelle DeVito (Bay Shore, N.Y./ Bay Shore HS) of Bentley and Renee Vaiano (Massapequa, N.Y.) of Saint Rose. Vaiano authored a three-hit shutout and Devito took a four-hitter into the seventh when the Golden Knights (7-10, 3-3 NE-10) scored the only runs of the game.

A single off the third baseman's glove by junior catcher Alexis Williams (Columbus, Ohio), a subsequent error on the play and a passed ball on a third strike gave Saint Rose runners on the corners with no outs. After a strikeout, senior right fielder Val Nelson (Beekman, N.Y.) doubled to center, driving in the game's first run. A sacrifice fly to short left by freshman third baseman Carly Wood (Hamilton, N.J.) provided the Knights with an insurance run.

Vaiano struck out four and allowed only three base runners, including a lead-off double by Kennedy in the first and a double by junior left fielder Shannon Connor (West Haven, Conn./West Haven HS) in the sixth.

Bentley (9-9, 3-5 NE-10) will conclude a stretch of eight home games in five days Sunday with a doubleheader against Le Moyne College (12 noon).