MANCHESTER, N.H. – Everyone in the lineup had at least one hit and seniors Tim Zupkus (Middlebury, Conn./Holy Cross HS) and Steve Rizzuto (Belmont, Mass./Belmont HS) each had three RBI as Bentley University won its fifth straight game, 12-8 at Saint Anselm College in Northeast-10 Conference baseball at Sullivan Park Saturday.

After completing a four-game sweep of the Hawks in which it scored a total of 41 runs, Bentley is 20-18 overall and 9-11 conference. The Falcons lead the Hawks by three games and Assumption by 3.5 in the battle for the fourth and final playoff spot out of the NE10's Northeast Division.

The Falcons got on the scoreboard with two runs in the second. Sophomore left fielder Stan DeMartinis III (Boca Raton, Fla./American Heritage HS) and Rizzuto opened the frame with hits and both scored on a single by junior center fielder Joe Cacciatore (Lexington, Mass./Lexington HS).

In the third, Rizzuto had a sacrifice fly and senior catcher Brian Lindsay (New Durham, N.H./Kingswood Reg. HS) a two-run single as the lead grew to 5-0.

Bentley added another run in the fourth, this one on a sac fly by Zupkus.

Saint Anselm (10-32, 6-14 NE) closed to within one with five in the bottom of the fourth with the inning featuring a grand slam from senior first baseman Will Panarello (Barrington, R.I.).

Four runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh extended the Bentley advantage to seven, 12-5. Rizzuto had a two-run single in the sixth and Zupkus had the same in the seventh.

Saint Anselm completed the scoring with a three-run home run by senior DH Brady Doran (Senaca, S.C.) with two outs in the ninth.

Those were the only runs allowed by freshman lefty Matt Fernandez (Needham, Mass./Needham HS) in his five strong innings of relief. He gave up only three hits and struck out six while earning his first career win.

Freshman shortstop Tommy Bolton (Tampa, Fla./Plant HS) had three hits, and Rizzuto, Cacciatore (3 runs scored) and graduate first baseman Liam Sears (Springfield, Mass./Pope Francis HS) each had two. Sears extended his streak of consecutive games reaching base to 23, dating back to March 26.

A four-game home series with St. Michael's is all that remains on the regular season schedule for coach Mike Hill's team. The two squads will play two on DeFelice Field both Thursday and Saturday.