Waltham, Mass. – The Bentley University softball team improved to 4-0 in NE10 Conference play with a doubleheader sweep against the Dolphins at the Bentley softball field on Monday afternoon.

Le Moyne, playing in their first conference doubleheader of the season, dropped game one by a score of 5-4, then took a 5-0 lead going into the final inning of game two before the Falcons rallied for eight runs in the top of the seventh to claim an 8-5 comeback victory.

Since the contests were originally scheduled to take place in Syracuse, the Dolphins were the designated home team for both games of the doubleheader.

Bentley junior right-handed pitcher Payton Doiron held Le Moyne to two runs during the first 5.0 innings of game one as the Falcons built a 5-2 lead, then sophomore righty Dahlia Fink entered the circle for Bentley after Le Moyne sophomore right fielder Alyssa Dybacz (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Charles W. Baker) led off the bottom of the sixth with a double off the center field wall.

Le Moyne got two runs back in the bottom of the sixth to trim their deficit to 5-4, but Doiron reentered the game to pitch the seventh for Bentley and recorded a 1-2-3 inning to close the game for the Falcons.

Le Moyne sophomore right-handed pitcher Julia Panarella (Southington, Conn./Southington) held Bentley scoreless during the first 6.0 innings in game two as the Dolphins built a 5-0 lead, but the Falcons rallied for eight runs in the top of the seventh. The Dolphins used three different pitchers in the final frame, as Panarella, Laura Bennett (Corning, N.Y./Corning-Painted Post) and Michaela Stockwell (Fort Plain, N.Y./Fort Plain) each recorded an out for Le Moyne in the seventh.

Le Moyne senior first baseman Mckenzie Bergdoll (Attleboro, Mass./Attleboro) hit for a combined cycle during the conference-opening doubleheader, tallying a double and a home run in game one, then a single and a triple in game two. Bergdoll provided a team-high three RBIs during both contests and scored twice during game one.

Dybacz contributed a combined three hits and four runs scored during the doubleheader, while senior center fielder Isabelle Boudreau (Memramcook, New Brunswick/Mathieu-Martin/Pace) went 3-4 at the plate with two runs scored in game two for the Dolphins.

Fink and Bentley graduate catcher Ella Hillier both recorded two RBIs in game one, while senior center fielder Sam Petow drove in a team-best two runs and scored another during the second half of the doubleheader.

Game One:
Bennett started game one in the circle for Le Moyne, and the Falcons put up three runs in the top of the first with the help of a walk from senior third baseman Jessica Trahan, a single from sophomore left fielder Jordan Krause, a two-RBI double from Fink, and an RBI single from senior first baseman Kaylee Mankins.

With one out in the bottom of the first, Dybacz gave the Dolphins their first baserunner by ripping a 2-2 inside pitch through the left side of the infield, then Bergdoll drove a pitch over the center field wall during the next at bat to trim Le Moyne's deficit to 3-2.

After Bennett pitched a scoreless top of the second, Bentley put runners on first and second with zero outs in the third, but Bennett retired the next three batters in order to end the inning.

The Dolphins were unable to put a runner on base during the third or fourth innings, then Bentley extended their lead with a two-run home run from Hillier in the top of the fifth.

In the bottom of the sixth, Le Moyne recorded their first hit against Doiron since Bergdoll's home run in the first when Dybacz hammered a line drive off the bottom of the center field wall to lead off the inning.

After Bentley made their pitching change, Bergdoll swung at a 1-0 pitch from Fink and hit a hard chopper that bounced well over the head of the third baseman and rolled into left field near the foul line. Dybacz rounded third and headed for home, drawing a throw to the plate. The ball arrived first, after skipping across the turf towards the catcher on a hard throw from the outfield. The ball bounced off the catcher's body and ricocheted towards the host team's dugout as Dybacz slid across the plate. Bergdoll hustled into third on the play.

Redshirt-sophomore third baseman Frankie Larobardiere (North Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse/Onondaga C.C.) worked a full count during the next at bat, then hit a ground ball towards the left side of the infield. A throwing error on the play allowed Bergdoll to score and make it 5-4 in favor of the Falcons.

Fink recorded a strikeout and got two ground ball outs to end the inning and maintain Bentley's one-run lead.

Bennett held Bentley scoreless in the top of the seventh, but Le Moyne was unable to put a runner on base in the final half inning after Doiron reentered to close out the win.
 
Game Two:
Boudreau beat out an infield single to lead off the bottom of the first inning, then Dybacz hit a chopper to the left side to move Boudreau into scoring position.

Le Moyne's three-hitter Bergdoll swung at the first pitch she saw during the next at bat and hit a hard grounder up the middle. Boudreau rounded third and scored easily to give the 'Phins a 1-0 lead.

With one out and Bergdoll on first, Larobardiere worked a full count, fouled off two pitches, then drew a walk to give Le Moyne a runner in scoring position.

Freshman DP Audrey Benderski (Spring Lake Park, Minn./Spring Lake Park) stepped to the plate next and ripped a first-pitch fastball into the left-center field gap to drive in Bergdoll and double Le Moyne's lead.

Freshman right-hander Daniella Salle entered the circle for the Falcons and retired the first two batters she faced to end the opening frame and keep her team's deficit at 2-0.

Bentley put runners on second and third with two outs in the top of the second, bringing left-handed hitting right fielder Kylee Amato to the plate. Amato slapped a chopper to the left side of the infield, and Le Moyne first-year shortstop Avery Linn (Bethpage, N.Y./Plainedge) stepped up to field the ball in the air, then quickly threw across the diamond to record the final out of the inning.

With one out in the bottom of the second, Boudreau worked a 3-2 count then hit a line drive past the second baseman into right-center field for a base hit.

Dybacz drew a walk to put runners on first and second for the 'Phins, then Fink entered the game to pitch for Bentley.

Fink threw Bergdoll a 2-1 fastball on the outside part of the plate, and Le Moyne's senior first baseman hammered the pitch over the right fielder's head for a two-RBI triple.

Panarella did not allow a Bentley player in scoring position during the third or fourth innings, then the Falcons loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the fifth.

Fink hit a fly ball to left field during the next at bat, and Le Moyne senior outfielder Jillian Dunn (Fiskdale, Mass./Tantasqua Regional) made a great catch on the run just before the wall to end the inning and strand the three runners.

Dybacz ripped a double into the right-center field gap to lead off the bottom of the fifth for Le Moyne, then she advanced to third on a passed ball with one out in the inning.

Larobardiere lifted a fly ball to left field during the next at bat which allowed Dybacz to tag up and score, giving the 'Phins a 5-0 advantage.

Panarella pitched a scoreless sixth inning, then the Falcons loaded the bases with zero out in the top of the seventh.

Bennett then entered the game to pitch, and struck out Hillier for the first out of the inning.

Fink recorded an RBI single for the first run of the game, then Mankins walked to drive in a run, and Krause scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3.

Bentley scored two more runs to tie the game on a throwing error following a ground ball, then Panarella reentered the circle for Le Moyne.

Petow drove in two runs with a single up the middle then Panarella got an infield popup for the second out. Krause then registered an infield single to drive in Bentley's eighth run.

Stockwell entered the game for Le Moyne and got a ground ball for the final out of the inning.

The Dolphins put runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Fink struck out the next two batters to end the game and secure the doubleheader sweep for Bentley.

The Dolphins will be back in action this weekend as they travel to New Hampshire for a doubleheader at Saint Anselm College on Saturday, followed by a doubleheader at Southern New Hampshire University on Sunday.