MELBOURNE, Fla. – Florida Tech jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first and pounded out 24 hits while recording a 17-7 win over Bentley University in non-conference baseball action Saturday afternoon at Seminick-Hall Field.

The top four hitters in the Panther lineup combined for 14 hits, 11 runs scored, seven RBI and 19 total bases. Left fielder Jakob Newton (Oakville, Ont.) was 2-for-6 with two runs scored, second baseman Dylan Dohanos (Bowling Green, Ohio) and third baseman Paul Castillo (Miami, Fla) both had four hits, three runs and two RBI, and clean-up hitter Brett Parrish (Rockledge, Fla.) was 4-for-5 with three runs and three RBI.

Bentley's 11-hit attack was led by senior catcher Charlie Auditore (Walpole, Mass./Walpole HS), who was 3-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Sophomore second baseman Jackson Walonis (Walpole, Mass./Walpole HS) had a home run and an RBI, and junior right fielder Tim Zupkus (Middlebury, Conn./Holy Cross HS) was 2-for-3 with two RBI.

A quarter of Florida Tech's hits came in the first and featured a two-run double from sophomore center fielder Sam Schner (Boca Raton, Fla.).

The Panthers (5-1) made it 7-1 with two in the second and 9-1 in the third. They also scored twice in both the fifth and sixth, once in the seventh and three in the eighth.

Auditore and Zupkus each had RBI singles for Bentley (0-2) in the fourth, making it 9-3 at the time. Both later scored during a three-run sixth for the Falcons.

The other Falcon with multiple hits was junior shortstop Joe Boushell (Mansfield, Mass./Wheeler School), who has a single, double and an RBI.

The two teams will complete their three-game series Sunday with the first pitch at noon.