Graduate DH Ryan Berardino (Sudbury, Mass./Lincoln-Sudbury Reg. HS), freshman second baseman Jackson Walonis (Walpole, Mass./Walpole HS) and senior catcher Charlie Auditore (Walpole, Mass./Walpole HS) combined for 13 RBI, nine runs and eight hits as Bentley University handed undefeated and 11th-ranked Southern New Hampshire University its first loss of 2021, 17-3, in the second half of a Northeast-10 Conference baseball doubleheader Saturday afternoon at the SNHU Baseball Field

The 17-3 win followed a 14-9 Southern New Hampshire win in the opener, a game that saw the Penmen start fast (9-1 after 2) and Bentley close to within three (9-6 after 3).

Bentley, which halted a four-game slide, improved to 13-7 overall and 12-6 NE10). The Penmen finished the day 13-1, both overall and conference.

In game two, the red-hot Berardino staked the region's sixth-ranked Division II team to the early lead with a two-run homer in the first inning. The 2019 Red Sox draft choice raised his batting average to an even .500 and boosted his RBI count to 26, with both number one in the NE10.

Bentley broke the game open with five runs in the third and six in the fourth. Auditore had a grand slam to left in the third, Walonis had a three-run homer to left center in the fourth and Berardino had an RBI single in both innings.

Two runs in the fifth made it 13-0 and the Falcons completed the scoring with two more in the seventh.

Berardino, who extended his hitting streak to 18, was a perfect 4-for-4 with a walk, four RBI and five runs scored. Walonis drove in five and scored twice with three hits, and junior left fielder Liam Sears (Springfield, Mass./Pope Francis HS) was 3-for-3 with three RBI. Sophomore third baseman Steve Rizzuto (Belmont, Mass./Belmont HS) didn't have a hit but scored four times.

The beneficiary of the offensive explosion was senior lefty Jared Brooks (Hollis Center, Maine/Cheverus HS), who authored a seven-inning complete-game three-hitter. He struck out ten and walked four while improving to 3-1 on the season.

In the first game, the Penmen were led by sophomore first baseman Bryce Reagan (Amherst, N.H.) and freshman left fielder Cam Caraher (Plymouth, Mass.), each with three RBI. Everyone who went to the plate had at least one of SNHU's 16 hits.

Rizzuto, Berardino and Walonis each had two RBI for Bentley, which was limited to only six hits by junior Alex Gomes (Peabody, Mass.) and freshman Trevor Anibal (Bedford, N.H.).

The two teams will be back on the same field for another doubleheader Sunday. Due to the forecast, the starting time for the opener has been changed from noon to 3 pm.