COLCHESTER, Vt. – Sophomore pitcher/designated player Kelsey Smith (Jaffrey, N.H./Conant HS) pitched a one-hit shutout in the nightcap and was 4-for-8 with three RBI during the doubleheader as Bentley University swept St.Michael's College, 6-4 and 8-0, in Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division softball Sunday afternoon at Doc Jacobs Field. The eight-run rule halted the nightcap after six.

Bentley (8-14, 6-8 NE-10 Northeast-10) pounded out 24 hits in the two games, including five by senior left fielder Shannon Connor (West Haven, Conn./West Haven HS) and four from sophomore right fielder Chelsea Vena (Matawan, N.J./Saint John Vianney HS) and Smith.

In game two (which was moved up from Monday due to the weather forecast), Smith boosted her record to 4-1 with her first career shutout. She struck out a career-high eight, including an 11-pitch battle to end the game. An infield single in the third accounted for the only hit by the Purple Knights (2-21, 2-11 NE-10 Northeast)

Following an unearned run in the first, Bentley made it a 3-0 game in the third with RBI singles by Smith and junior shortstop Alex Borrelli (Salem, N.H./Central Catholic HS). An inning later, after a Vena double, sophomore center fielder Kelsey Kennedy (Bedford, N.H./Bedford HS) extended the lead to 4-0.

Bentley doubled its lead in the sixth and again it was led by Vena (a lead-off triple to right center) and Kennedy (an RBI single to left). Later in the inning, freshman second baseman Catie Noons (North Dighton/Dighton-Rehoboth HS) had a two-run triple down the left field line and Borrelli picked up her third RBI of the afternoon on a fielder's choice.

The top three in the order combined for six hits and seven runs scored as Vena, Kennedy and Connor each had two hits and Vena reached home plate three times.

The opener saw the Falcons facing a 3-0 deficit entering the fifth inning. Smith got the Falcons on the board, leading off the inning with a home run to right center, the first of her career.

In the sixth, Bentley turned things around with four runs. Connor led off with a triple to center and scored on Noons' double to left center. One out later, Smith singled and Borrelli doubled in Noons to tie the game. Following an infield single, Vena untied the game with a two-run single up the middle.

Bentley added an insurance run in the seventh when Connor singled, was sacrificed to second and scored on  Smith's two-out double to center.

Junior lefty Kelly Ferris (Seymour, Conn./Seymour HS) earned her fourth win of the season in the opener after allowing eight hits and four runs. She walked two and struck out five.

Connor and Smith both had three hits and Vena had a pair, with both Vena and Smith driving in two.

The two teams are scheduled to meet again on Monday, weather permitting.