NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – A six-run fourth inning that featured a bases-loaded triple by junior center fielder Juliana Romeo (Greenville, R.I./Smithfield HS) accounted for all of the Falcons' scoring and lifted Bentley University to a 6-5 win over Merrimack College in Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division softball Tuesday afternoon at Martone-Mejail Field.

All three of Bentley's hits came during the fourth inning, beginning with a one-out double to left center by freshman pitcher Elise Pereira (Plainville/King Philip Reg. HS). She scored the tying run on a throwing error with junior right fielder Sami Palazzolo (East Williston, N.Y./Wheatley School) reaching. After a pair of walks loaded the bases, junior third baseman Kaileigh Serafini (Schenectady, N.Y./Schenectady HS) gave the Falcons the lead with an RBI single to left.

Romeo followed with a three-run triple down the left field line, making it a 5-1 game. Romeo scored the sixth run on a sacrifice fly by freshman catcher Elise Hillier (Tualitin, Ore./Tualitin HS), her team-leading 17th RBI of the season.

Merrimack, which had ten hits off two Falcon pitchers, closed to within one with two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to draw within one. However, the Warriors were kept in check in the seventh with sophomore reliever Kayleigh Fitzpatrick (East Hampstead, N.H./Timberlane Reg. HS) finishing the game with a strikeout.

Pereira earned the win after allowing three runs in 4.2 innings. Fitzpatrick relieved her in the fifth and allowed three hits and two runs in 2.1 innings of action

Merrimack (15-18 overall, 6-8 NE10, 4-4 Northeast) was led offensively by sophomore third baseman Lucy Colarusso (Needham) with three hits and two RBI.

With the win, Bentley improved to 11-18 overall, including 7-7 NE10 and 3-5 Northeast-10. Next up is a Thursday home game against Stonehill (4 pm).