WALTHAM, Mass. – Sophomore designated player Dahlia Fink (Sherman Oaks, Calif./Notre Dame HS) drove in all three runs, including what proved to be the game-winner in the fifth, and junior Payton Doiron (Beacon Falls, Conn./St. Joseph HS) struck out nine as Bentley University defeated Saint Anselm College, 3-2, in the first game of a Northeast-10 Conference softball doubleheader Friday on the new Bentley softball field.

The nightcap was declared a 7-7 tie after darkness brought a halt to the contest following seven complete innings. Saint Anselm forged the deadlock with a run in the top of the seventh.

Bentley finished the day at 21-10-1 overall and 11-3-1 NE10, good for second-place in the conference behind Franklin Pierce (8-2). Saint Anselm, 18-11-1 overall and 8-5-1 conference, dropped to fifth place.

In the opener, Bentley answered Saint Anselm's two runs in the top of the first with two in the bottom of the inning. With runners on the corners, Fink doubled to right with both junior right fielder Kylee Amato (Bergenfield, N.J./Acad. of the Holy Angels HS) and graduate catcher Ella Hillier (Tualatin, Ore./Tualatin HS) scoring on the play.

It remained a 2-2 game until the bottom of the fifth. One out after sophomore left fielder and conference batting leader Jordan Krause (San Pedro, Calif./San Pedro HS) walked, Fink drove her in with her second two-bagger of the game, this one directed to left center.

Doiron, who improved to 10-3 on the year, blanked the Hawks over the final six innings and retired the visitors in order in the seventh to finish the game.

In game two, after falling behind 3-0, Bentley scored twice in both the third and fourth innings to take the lead. In the third, senior first baseman Kaylee Mankins (North Attleboro/Bishop Feehan HS) picked up an RBI on a fielder's choice and junior shortstop Sabrina Grizzaffi (Ridgefield, Conn./Ridgefield HS) had an RBI single. In the fourth, after two Saint Anselm errors, Hiller tied the game at 3-3 on a ground out and Fink had an RBI single for the lead.

Both teams put three on the scoreboard in the fifth, which ended with the Falcons in front, 7-6. Following two walks and an infield single by Grizzaffi, Krause cleared the bases and returned the lead to Bentley with a three-run double down the left field line.

In the top of the seventh, Bentley was a strike away from completing the sweep. Saint Anselm sophomore designated player and leadoff hitter Ava Caputo (Waterford, N.Y.) drove in the equalizer with sophomore shortstop Julia Howse (North Reading) racing home from second with the tying run.

There was plenty of offense in game two, with 26 total hits including 16 by the Hawks. Number nine hitter Kate Irwin (Milford), a senior center fielder, had four of those, as well as three RBI.

Bentley's ten hits included a three-for-four game by Krause, who finished the day with a .459 average. Grizzaffi also had three and Fink was two-for-four, completing a four-for-seven afternoon.

Bentley will be back at home on Saturday for a Senior Day doubleheader against Southern New Hampshire. The first pitch is set for 12 noon.