CLERMONT, Fla. – Junior leftfielder Erica Thibodeau (Cohoes, N.Y./Shaker HS) was 3-fo-3 with two triples and three RBI, and junior Carly Taitz (Blue Point, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point HS) made a successful return to the center circle, as Bentley University opened its 2012 softball season with an 11-1 win over the University of Bridgeport Saturday evening at the National Training Center. The game was halted due to the eight-run rule in the middle of the fifth.

Bentley scored in all four innings that it went to the plate, and broke the game open with a seven-run second making it 8-0 at the time.

Thibodeau got the Falcons on the scoreboard in the first inning. Sophomore center fielder Jackie Gauthier (Braintree, Mass./Braintree HS) was hit by a pitch to lead off, was sacrificed to second and scored on Thibodeau's single to left.

Bentley's big second inning featured four hits, five walks, three wild pitches, a passed ball and an error. Junior shortstop Stephanie Kasson (Hyde Park, N.Y./Franklin D. Roosevelt HS) had an RBI single, Thibodeau drove her home with a triple, and she scored on a single to center by junior second baseman Laura McDonough (Braintree, Mass./Braintree HS). McDonough was one of several who scored via a Purple Knight mistake.

In addition to the three hits by Thibodeau, Bentley's ten included two apiece by Kasson, last year's leading hitter, and McDonough, who was playing her first game since the 2010 season.

Taitz, who like McDonough missed last season due to injury, yielded eight hits but only one run in her five innings of work. She struck out three and walked the same number.

Bentley opens Northeast-10 Conference play Sunday with a doubleheader against the University of New Haven, beginning at 1 pm.