WALTHAM, Mass. – The Bentley University Falcons pounded out 30 hits, including 18 in the nightcap, and posted a pair of five-run second innings while sweeping Franklin Pierce University, 8-0 and 11-3, in Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division softball on Senior Day Saturday afternoon at Bentley. The two wins lifted the Falcons into sole possession of first place in the Northeast Division.

Senior shortstop Alex Borrelli (Salem, N.H./Central Catholic HS) led the way with five hits, including the 100th of her career, and six RBI in the doubleheader. Sophomore second baseman Catie Noons (North Dighton/Dighton-Rehoboth HS) and senior designated player/catcher Natalie Tarantino (Arlington/Arlington HS) also had five hits on the day.

Senior left-hander Kelly Ferris (Seymour, Conn./Seymour HS) was the winning pitcher in all three games of the weekend series with the Ravens, including a two-hit shutout in Saturday's opener.

The sweep of the doubleheader boosted Bentley to 10-10 overall and 6-1 in the Northeast-10. The Falcons have won eight of ten since returning north and are 10-3 against East Region opposition.  Franklin Pierce dropped to 5-16 overall and 1-8 in the division.

In the opener, Ferris struck out four, walked just one and didn't allow a runner to advance past first base.

Her teammates supported her with five runs in the second, a single run in the fifth and two in the sixth to invoke the mercy rule.

The big second inning included RBI singles by senior first baseman Morgan Mazone (Selkirk, N.Y./Bethlehem Central HS), junior third baseman Katelyn Lebreux (Biddeford, Maine/Biddeford HS) and Noons, an RBI on a ground out by Tarantino and another run scoring on a wild pitch.

Everyone in the Bentley lineup had at least one hit with Noons, Borrelli and Tarantino each having two. Lebreux scored twice and Borrelli drove in a pair, including a bases-loaded single to drive in the eighth run. She actually made it to third on the play with two others scoring, but by rule, the game ended when the first run scored to make it an eight-run deficit.

Bentley's 18 hits in game two was the program's most in a dozen years and included three apiece from Noons, junior left fielder Kelsey Kennedy (Bedford, N.H./Bedford HS), Borrelli and Tarantino. Noons scored three and drove in two, Borrelli had four RBI and both Kennedy and Tarantino scored twice.

With the game tied at 2-2, Bentley seized control with another five-run second. Lebreux had an RBI double to break the deadlock and an RBI single by Noons made it 4-2. Borrelli picked up an RBI on a fielder's choice, Noons scored on a wild pitch and junior center fielder Chelsea Vena (Matawan, N.J./Saint John Vianney HS) also had an RBI single.

The Falcons added two runs on a Borrelli double in the fourth, another in the fifth after a Kennedy triple and the game-ending run scored on a Noons single in the sixth.

Ferris entered the game in the fourth and gave the Falcons three innings of three-hit scoreless relief.

Bentley is due to play doubleheaders at Merrimack Tuesday afternoon and Assumption Wednesday.