By Matt Gustus

Senior pitcher JP Ashline came to Bentley to make an impact on the baseball team. Throughout his four-year career, he has done just that.

As a freshman, Ashline was used as a bullpen arm, as he came on in relief in all of his 11 appearances that year. During that season, one thing was clear: Ashline was ready to pitch at the college level. His numbers included an ERA of 1.80 and an opponent’s batting average of .222.

Over the next two years, Ashline worked hard to transition from a bullpen guy into a full-time starter for the Falcons. In late April of his sophomore season, Ashline was given his first of many starts in a Bentley uniform as he took on Merrimack. In that game, he scattered four hits and seven strikeouts over seven scoreless innings, leading his team to an 8-0 victory.

Junior year, Ashline continued his success as a starter. In eight of his 12 appearances, he was given the start and finished the season with a 6-3 record.

To continue working on his game during the summer, Ashline played for both in both the New England Baseball Association and the Futures Collegiate Baseball League. The experience was one that, as he noted, helped improve his enjoyment of the game.

“Summer ball was much more laid back and a good time to play with new people and have some fun working on my game,” said Ashline. “I played on a few different teams this past summer, one down in Myrtle Beach and another up in Nashua, and they were both an enjoyable experience for me.”

Now in his senior year, Ashline has started in all of his appearances and has a record of 5-1. His ERA of 1.72 is the lowest on the team and his 35 strikeouts are tied for second-most on the team.

While his successful transition may seem like it came easily to him given his consistent success, Ashline has worked hard to get here.

“Hard work over my four years and the confidence of having the ball in big situations has helped me grow into the player I am today,” said Ashline.

Looking back on his Bentley experience, one game stands out among the rest as his favorite.

“My favorite moment as a Bentley baseball player was beating No. 4 Tampa 5-3 to start off our season this year,” said Ashline. “Being down 2-1 in the eighth and having [junior outfielder Tom] Nagy hit a grand slam to take the lead was one of the my most memorable moments on this team.”

In that matchup against Tampa, Ashline pitched four scoreless innings while walking two and striking out two. Unfortunately, he was not credited with the win, as the game was scoreless when he was relieved.

As the season winds down, Ashline is preparing to lead his team on a deep playoff run. Doing so would be the icing on the cake of a remarkable Bentley career.

By Matt Gustus

Fifty years ago, the men’s basketball team took the court for the first time. With coach Al Shields at the helm, the team played hard but suffered an 86-66 loss to Merrimack, a team that is now one of Bentley’s biggest Northeast-10 rivals. The loss was definitely not the way the team, and all of Bentley, expected the program to start.

However, that would be the only time in the history of the program that it would have an all-time losing record.

After the early season defeat, the losing ways became a thing of the past as the team proceeded to rip off six straight wins. By the end of their inaugural season, the program was off to a tremendous start. The first ever basketball players to rock the blue and gold uniforms recorded a 16-5 season.

Since then, the Falcons have only had nine losing seasons to date. Doing the math, in 41 of Bentley’s 50 seasons, the team has had a record better than .500, which also includes a stretch of 17 straight winning seasons from 1996-2012.

In college basketball, coaching staffs provide the foundation for long-term success. Having the same staff in place for multiple seasons allows the coaches time to install a system that they feel will be successful. Similarly, coaches who stay with a program for an extended period of time are able recruit players who fit well in that system and are able to work with them for four years.

For the Falcons, coaching stability has never been an issue. In their 50-year history, the program has only seen four coaches, all of whom have stuck around for at least six seasons. Each coach was able to pick up right where the prior one left off; each recording strong seasons in their first years. Shields, who led the Falcons to a 16-5 record in his first season, set the tempo.

In 1978, Brian Hammel ‘75 transitioned from player to coach and led his team to a first season record of 22-6. In 1984, Frank Sullivan took over and led the team to a 25-6 season.

Finally, in 1991, current Bentley coach Jay Lawson took over. In his first year, Lawson turned an 11-18 team into a 17-10 team. A year later, he led the Falcons to the regular season NE-10 title. Since then, Lawson’s resume includes an overall record of 440-213, five NE-10 Coach of the Year awards, a National Coach of the Year award in 2005 and seven first place NE-10 finishes.

While the 2012-13 team record-wise was not quite the same as in years past, you can guarantee that the Falcons will be a factor in the NE-10 come November. If you need convincing, take a look at Bentley’s track record. The history will amaze you.

By Ian Giancursio

The Bentley women’s lacrosse team is coming off four straight wins as they head towards the end of yet another dominating season. For this year’s seniors, the last games of the season represent the end of their respective careers here at Bentley University. Seniors Taylor Bastien and Cori Geiger are each enjoying phenomenal senior years, as they have led the Falcons to a 10-4 record (8-2 NE-10) and an impressive 14.14 goals per game average. The Vanguard interviewed these two star seniors to find out their thoughts on their final season and favorite memories from their time playing at Bentley, as well as how they view the potential of the women’s lacrosse team in the future.

In a season full of tremendous highs and lows, the seniors have made sure to keep level heads throughout the year and have maintained focus in the face of such obstacles.

“I think we have had a challenging season,” says Bastien. “We had some huge games to begin the season and came out with a big win at home against a top 5 team. We had a few bumps in the road during the middle of the season and we have a tough couple of games to close out the regular season. As a team, we started out with high expectations and can still achieve our goals as we head into playoffs.”

Geiger echoed Bastien’s sentiments, explaining that the resolve of this year’s team has been especially impressiv.

“The season has had some ups and downs,” says Geiger. “We are all a little disappointed in a few of our game performances, like losing to New Haven, Stonehill and Dowling. But, I have been really impressed that my team has turned around from a bit of a slump and is now playing at a much higher level, just in time for playoffs. Hopefully we can continue riding this high horse and cause some upsets with big games like Adelphi and LIU Post, which will put us in a good position for NE-10s and NCAA’s.”

In addition to the continuous emotional grind this season, both Bastien and Geiger acknowledge that their careers here at Bentley have not always been perfect, but that the experience is something they will always cherish.

As Bastien explained, “my experiences playing at Bentley have had their ups and downs as well, but I wouldn’t change anything for the world. I have absolutely loved being a part of this team and all the people I have played with throughout my four years here. Being on this team has definitely enhanced my college experience and I cannot believe that it will all soon be over.”

Geiger has a nearly identical description of her time at Bentley, saying, “my experience has been a whirlwind. I have definitely had times where I wanted to throw in the towel, but we all have those days sometimes. Overall, I love playing lacrosse and I wouldn’t trade playing at Bentley for any other school.”

Geiger also explained the difficulties of balancing responsibilities as a student-athlete throughout college.

“The most difficult part of playing at Bentley is the constant struggle of being an athlete and performing at a high level while trying to balance social life and keeping up with grades. I basically came to Bentley for the sole reason of playing lacrosse. I would say gaining a top-notch education, while playing the sport that I love and meeting amazing people and friends are worth the tough days on the field.”

The leadership of the women’s lacrosse seniors has been monumental and has had an enormous effect on the younger players. One of the most prominent juniors on the team, goalkeeper Ally Dorman, described how much they have meant to her.

“I love the seniors on our team,” explained Dorman. “We’ve experienced ups and downs together but I love them like family. The seniors have been great leaders this season and in the past. Coming in as a freshman, it was that class that helped my transition into college life. They were excellent mentors and made freshman year that much better. Currently, all have become such wonderful, well-respected individuals that I continue to look up to.

They are all going to do amazing things in life and I look forward to watching them succeed.”

As they reflect on the end of their playing careers, both Bastien and Geiger know the talent of the current team and see the great amount of potential that lies ahead.

As Geiger explains, “I think the team has incredible potential to stay competing in the top 10 of the nation. Things are changing in the NE-10s for women’s lacrosse. The toughest teams aren’t as tough as they used to be and Coach Medeiros has done a great job recruiting talented athletes who are able to play at that level. Our underclassmen are incredible, they just need to stay mentally tough and keep working to stay competing with the top teams in the country.”

Bastien also heaped praise on the underclassmen, saying, “Bentley Women’s Lacrosse has an amazing amount of potential for the future. We have a great group of juniors that will be able to lead the team next year along with talented underclassmen that will take over in the years to come. The program has grown tremendous amounts in recent years and I see it continuing to progress in the future. I’m excited to see what will become of this program.”

By Billy Fitzhenry

With record setting quarterback Danny Guadagnoli set to return to the field for his senior year, the Falcons are poised to make some noise in the Northeast-10 Conference next year. Unfortunately for Guadagnoli and the rest of the Bentley football team, four of the teams’ leading receivers were seniors last season and will not be around for the upcoming season.

Sean Cross, Bill Kiley, Jack Pizzotti and Mike Sumrell are the four senior receivers that are graduating. During the 2012 season, these four receivers combined to catch 102 out of the 177 receptions made by the Bentley wide receiving corps. Finding the receivers to step up and replicate this production will be one of the challenges faced by the Falcons as it prepares for next year’s season. Two receivers who are looking to play bigger roles in the offense next season are sophomores Jeff Hill and Nick McCarthy.

Hill is a big target standing at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds and coming off a breakout season. The second-year receiver led the Falcons receivers in receiving yards and touchdowns, catching 51 passes for 995 yards and 10 touchdowns during the 2012 season. Hill averaged 99.5 yards receiving per game, which was the third highest average in the NE-10 last fall. Additionally, Hill averaged 19.5 yards per catch, which was the best in the conference.

The Falcons will be depending on Hill to continue to improve, mature and take over as the No. 1 receiver in the offense in 2013. In order to prepare himself for this important role, Hill plans to spend some time back at Bentley as well as at home working out.

“I’m hoping to make it back to campus this summer and work out [at Bentley],” said Hill. “If not, I will probably work out with my high school strength and conditioning coach back home.”
In addition to hitting the weight room, Hill also plans to work on the finite aspects of the wide receiver position.

“I [plan] to get in a lot of route running work over the offseason along with working on hand placement on catches,” said Hill.

By improving the little things in his receiving repertoire, Hill believes that he will become a much better receiver overall. During next year’s season, Hill hopes to become the No. 1 receiving threat for the Falcons and open up the field for the rest of the offense.

“I’m just hoping to be able to draw the defense towards me which will open up other aspects of our offense,” said Hill.

Having a big-time receiving threat like Hill on the field will definitely help the Falcons as they look to improve on their impressive 8-2 record they had last season.

Recently, the Falcons finished up their spring practices. When asked how the team looked during the aforementioned spring season, Hill replied, “We are looking very strong on defense and can use a little more work on offense. We lost some very valuable seniors in the secondary and on the offensive line so if we can get those spots filled we should have a very successful season [in the fall].”

According to Hill, the football team has very big expectations heading into the 2013 season.

“We want to make it to the national playoffs” said Hill. “Our goal is to win the NE-10 Championships and then head to the national playoffs.”

In order for these goals to come to fruition, the Guadagnoli-to-Hill connection will need to make an impact next year on the field.

In more recent Bentley football news, three Bentley football players were recently selected to the Academic All-Northeast-10 football team. Guadagnoli, senior cornerback Stephen Stewart and senior place kicker Will Lockwood were all chosen to be a part of this prestigious academic team. This marks the fourth straight year in which the Falcons have had the most players awarded a roster spot on the Academic All-Northeast-10 team.

Guadagnoli, Stewart and Lockwood were all honored for their work inside of the classroom as well as the impact that they had on the field during the 2012 season. As the starting quarterback for the Falcons, Guadagnoli carried a 3.77 GPA as an economics-finance major.

Stewart was a starting cornerback for the Falcons last year and had three interceptions during the season. Stewart was selected to this All NE-10 Academic team due to the 3.33 GPA that he had as an economics-finance major.
Finally, this was Lockwood’s second time being selected to this esteemed team. Lockwood made seven field goals during the 2012 season while also converting 32 of his 35 PAT attempts. Lockwood was chosen to be on this All NE-10 Academic team due to the 3.4 GPA that he carried as a corporate finance and accounting major. In addition to being named to this All-Academic team, Lockwood also was named to the Capital One NCAA Division II Academic All-District Team. These three athletes excelled both on the field and off the field and were deservedly recognized by the NE-10.

Great goaltending by Dorman is major factor in team success

By Billy Fitzhenry

Expectations for this year’s edition of the Bentley women’s lacrosse team were high during the preseason as the team was ranked No. 9 in the Division II women’s lacrosse preseason poll. Behind the spectacular play of junior goaltender Ally Dorman, the team has lived up to the hype by currently holding a record of 8-4 while being ranked No. 12 in the national rankings.

Dorman has been a stonewall in the net all season long, playing every minute of every game and making 96 saves up to this point. This save total is the fifth highest in the Northeast-10 conference this year. Dorman is also ranked fifth in the conference in save percentage, having saved 45.7 percent of shots faced this season.

Additionally, Dorman is third in the NE-10 in goals against average with a 9.29 average. Dorman’s dominance in net has been recognized as she was named the NE-10 goalkeeper of the week twice this season. She was most recently given this honor after her performances against American International and Southern Connecticut where she allowed only five goals combined in the two games.

Dorman’s breakout season for the Lady Falcons comes as no surprise to people who have been following her career the last three years. As a freshman, Dorman was named the team’s Most Improved Player as she started eight games for the team and had a 5-4 record in net. During her sophomore season Dorman appeared in 17 games for the Falcons and compiled an 11-6 record. For her efforts in net, Dorman was named team MVP and was selected to the NE-10 All-Tournament team. Dorman finished the year in second for most saves in the NE-10 with 170 and also was ranked sixth in save percentage and seventh in goals against average.

Through Dorman’s three years at Bentley, she has seen the program experience unprecedented success.

“The growth this program has seen since my freshman year is surreal,” said Dorman. “The greatest accomplishment [of] my career is seeing Bentley go from an unranked team in Division II to a competitive, top 10 team with NCAA potential.”

It is not a coincidence that Dorman’s growth as a goalie directly correlates with the success experienced by the program. Having a strong goalie that a team can count on is one of the hallmarks of all winning squads. Dorman attributes the success she has been experiencing this year to the rest and relaxation she received this offseason.

“To be honest, I used the offseason to give my brain and body a break. Not to say I didn’t train because I did; but since season demands so much of you mentally and physically, the [offseason] allowed me to feel 100% before the fall and spring seasons,” said Dorman.

By using the offseason as a way to give her body a rest, Dorman came back stronger than ever and was able to obtain a signature victory and an indelible memory.

“[My] most memorable lacrosse experience at Bentley was beating Le Moyne this year [10-9] in overtime,” said Dorman. “It was the first time our program has ever beaten Le Moyne and it broke their 22-game NE-10 win streak.”

Dorman and the rest of the team will look to continue their winning ways this week as they travel to play Southern New Hampshire and Franklin Pierce. When asked what the team needed to do to maintain their current success Dorman pointed out that they needed to continue to work together.

“The keys to continuing our great start [are] to play for each other, cheer for each other and win for each other. As a unit we are unstoppable,” said Dorman.

This team playm mentioned by Dorman, was put on full display this weekend as the Lady Falcons dominated Assumption College on their way to a 16-10 victory. Nine different players scored for Bentley over the course of the game. Senior attacker Cori Geiger led the Falcons in scoring with three goals while freshman attacker Toni Cerny, sophomore midfielder Amy Ernst, junior midfielder Jackie Brown, senior attacker Alex Carney and junior midfielder Carolyn Kynoch all chipped in two goals apiece. Meanwhile, junior midfielder Chelsea Larivee, freshman midfielder Kelsey Howard and senior attacker Taylor Bastien all scored once for the Falcons.

The Lady Falcons got off to a great start to the game scoring the first four goals in the contest. Assumption scored once to decrease the lead to three goals, but was unable to come any closer for the rest of the game. At the end of the first half Bentley led 9-6. To open the second half, Bentley scored three consecutive goals to take the 12-6 lead. From there the Lady Falcons cruised on their way to the 16-10 win. Dorman made nine saves on the day en route to another solid game in goal. With this victory, the Lady Falcons pushed their conference record to 6-2 and moved into fourth place overall in the conference.

With only five games left in the season, Bentley is looking to make a push to the top of the conference standings. The two most important games left on the schedule for the Lady Falcons are their last two. Bentley faces Adelphi, currently the team sitting atop the NE-10 standings, on April 26 and then two days later Bentley squares off against LIU Post. The two aforementioned opponents are ranked No. 4 and No. 1 respectively in Division II. Winning these two games would be a huge boost for the program as it looks to earn a bid to the NCAA tournament.

By Matt Gustus

In the Northeast Division of the Northeast-10, the Falcons currently are in a tie for second place. With a record of 6-3 in the division and 10-7 in the conference, the Falcons are in a good spot heading into the final three weeks of their season.

In baseball, more than any other sport, statistics are scrutinized before, during and after games for different reasons. In preparing for an opponent, teams look at the opposing pitchers ERA and how the other team’s hitters bat against righties or lefties. During the game, teams analyze what types of pitches the opposing pitcher is throwing and whether certain opposing players tend to hit ground balls or fly balls. After the game, stats are used as a tool of improvement to determine what players can tweak in order to achieve higher results.

For this year’s Falcon team, the stats have been great. From pitching to batting to fielding, the team has worked as a unit to find themselves in the thick of their divisional race. To find out more about the team, The Vanguard takes you inside the numbers:

24: The speedster junior outfielder Sean Keady has swiped 24 bags this season, which puts him third in the NE-10 this season. He has only been caught stealing six times. Southern New Hampshire, who sits a game ahead of the Falcons in the divisional standings, is clogging up the steals leaderboard with players holding the first, second and fourth spots.

7: Out of his 30 hits this season, junior outfielder Tom Nagy has gone yard seven times, which is more than any other player in the conference. Many of his big hits have often come with runners on the bases, which have helped him to accumulate 26 RBI (T-7th NE-10). However, while Nagy has provided some great power for the Falcons, he also leads the conference in strikeouts with 48.

5: Senior pitcher Jeff Croteau is tied for second in the NE-10 in wins this season. His record of 5-3 includes two complete games. This season, Croteau has been a work horse for the team as he has thrown 64 innings. Only one other NE-10 player has thrown more.

1.81: Senior pitcher Lamarre Rey has an ERA of 1.81, which is good for eighth on the NE-10 leaderboard. In Rey’s 11 appearances this season, he has started in five games while providing bullpen relief in the others. His personal stat line is impressive, as he leads the team in saves (2), strikeouts (42), strikeouts per game (6.91) and ERA (1.81).

2.89: As a team, the Falcons have posted an ERA of 2.89, which is second best out of any staff in the conference. Many of their outs have been via the strikeout, as they have recorded 171 of them (third-most NE-10) this season.

43: Senior infielder Logan Gillis has turned his 143 at-bats (third-most NE-10) into 43 hits (eighth-most NE-10) on the season. His average currently sits right above the .300 mark.

158: As a team, Bentley is in the middle of the pack in the NE-10 in terms of runs scored. The team has scored 158 runs, which is good for ninth in the conference.

9: As a team, the Falcons have hit nine home runs this season, which is good for fourth in the conference. Surprisingly, however, while the team is near the tops in home runs, they are lower on the RBI list with just 136.

.972: Fielding has been a strength for the Falcons this season, as they have only made 39 errors. The team is second in fielding percentage with their rate of .972. The Falcons have also turned the sixth-most double plays.

80: The Falcons have been stellar at DeFelice Field, as they have gone 8-2 so far this season on their home field. Away from home, the team holds a 5-11 record, which further drives home the team’s comfort level at home.

8: In their last nine games, the Falcons have been victorious eight times.

6: Six Falcons have played in all 32 games this season, including Gillis, Keady, Nagy, senior catcher Kevin Korwek, junior shortstop Will Brennan and junior third baseman Nate Witkowski.

The stats are current as of April 16. The Falcons upcoming schedule includes trips to Assumption and Southern New Hampshire before home tilts against Stonehill and St. Michael’s. Southern New Hampshire, as mentioned previously, currently holds the division’s top record, which makes that series one to definitely keep an eye out for. The two teams will square off starting April 19.

By Ian Giancursio

Senior tennis player Rodrigo Ribeiro is having an incredible senior season to cap his tennis career at Bentley University. In honor of his excellent four year run here, The Vanguard interviewed Ribeiro to find out his feelings towards graduating and what he views as his most memorable experiences from his final year.

IG: How did you prepare for this season?

RR: During the winter break, I tried to play as much as possible, but once we got back we started having several practices as a team on indoor courts. I tried to hit as much as possible, so whenever I could get courts available I was practicing.

IG: Describe your experience as doubles partner with Kamil Pilch.

RR: Playing with Kamil has been great. He is an excellent doubles player and I believe he has helped me become a better doubles player as well. Being a freshman, I believe he really stepped up and I believe he is one of the main reasons why we have been so successful as a doubles team.

IG: What are some of your personal highlights from this season?

RR: My biggest personal highlight this season was when I won my singles match against Adelphi. Beating the 2011-12 player of the year (Adelphi’s number one singles player) at our first conference match this semester really gave me confidence for my upcoming singles matches. I knew I had the potential to beat any player of the conference.

IG: Do you think you’ve had a great career at Bentley?

RR: I definitely think that my overall career at Bentley was really positive. I had 115 wins with both doubles and singles combined, and through my four years I was selected to the All-Conference team. So, all in all I can say that I went beyond my expectations.

IG: What do you think is the tennis team’s potential for the future?

RR: I think the tennis team has a good potential for the future. I believe that they will continue being one of the top three teams in the conference. We have a lot of good players and hopefully our coach will come up with some good recruits for the next seasons.

By Emily Ellis

The Bentley women’s tennis team was on a three-match win streak going in to their matchup against the Purple Knights of St. Michael’s on April 6. Despite the best efforts from the freshman class, St. Michael’s broke the streak and gave Bentley their second conference loss of the season. Freshmen duo Catherine Gianino and Brittani Hetyei came out victorious over the No. 3 pair from St. Michael’s. The Purple Knights ended up winning 8-1, although

freshman Ludmila Yamus pushed her senior opponent to a third set in the No. 1 singles match.

The Lady Falcons faced another tough competitor in the Stonehill Skyhawks on April 9. Bentley won the No. 2 doubles match thanks to the pair of seniors, Rachael Litton and Paulina Sotomayor. Yamus also tallied a point for Bentley in her No. 1 victory. Despite sophomore Stephania Adonakis forcing her No. 6 opponent to three sets, the Lady Falcons dropped to 7-3 in the Northeast-10.

Bentley was at it again on April 11, winning 7-2 over St. Anselm. The Lady Falcons came out on top of all three double matches and won four of the six single matches. Now, Bentley advanced to 8-3 in the conference and secured a spot in the NE-10 Championships.

On April 13, Bentley played its last regular season game against the Southern New Hampshire Penmen. SNHU completed their perfect regular season, giving the Lady Falcons their fourth loss of the season. Litton and Sotomayor were victorious over the Penmen’s No. 2 duo while Gianino and Hetyei came out on top against their No. 3 opponents. Even though the Lady Falcons lost all three of their singles matches, they were still prepared to come out strong in the NE-10 playoffs on April 15.

Unfortunately, a winning record for Bentley came to an end in the first round of the NE-10 Championships when the Lady Falcons fell to Adelphi, 5-0. Bentley, however, had a successful season and will learn from its experience this spring and come ready to win in the fall. With many of the freshmen being so successful this season, the returning team is hopeful that their experience going forward will be the winning ingredient for the Lady Falcons.

By Matt Gustus

Playing in the comfort of DeFelice Field, the Bentley baseball team hosted both Saint Rose and Le Moyne in double headers this weekend. Thanks to solid pitching and timely hitting, the Falcons were able to sweep both teams.

On Saturday, the Falcon bats were hot early. By the end of the third inning, the Falcons held a 6-0 lead thanks to eight hits by six different players. With senior Jeff Croteau on the mound, the Bentley lead was safe the entire way as he allowed only one run on five hits in the game. The win was Croteau’s fifth of the season, pushing his record to 5-2.

Two Bentley runs in both in the sixth and seventh innings added to their lead as the team went on to win, 10-1.

In the afternoon game, the Falcon bats took a while to get hot. Through the first six innings, the Falcons had failed to score a run and only mustered three hits. Luckily, however, senior starter John Yohe was able to keep the team in the game by only giving up two runs through six. In the seventh, the bats came alive for both teams. In the top of the inning, Saint Rose was able to get three runners across the plate, bringing their lead to five runs.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Falcons’ first three batters all reached base, forcing Saint Rose to make its first pitching change of the game. However, the Falcons’ momentum could not be stopped as the team went on to score eight runs in the inning. With the three-run lead, the Bentley bullpen was able to hold Saint Rose scoreless in the game’s final two innings, giving the Falcons the win.

On Sunday, the story of the first game was the dominant pitching by senior J.P. Ashline. The righty pitched nine solid innings, allowing one run on seven hits.

In the final game of the weekend, extra innings were need as neither team could muster up many runs. In the fourth inning, junior third baseman Nate Witkowski came to the plate with the bases loaded. With his team down 3-0, Witkowski doubled to deep left, clearing the bases and tying the game.

During the next eight innings, neither team was able to cross the plate. The teams headed into the 13th knotted at three. In the bottom of the inning, sophomore reliever Connor Root found himself with runners on second and third with one out. However, Root was able to get out of the jam by striking out the next two batters. In the bottom of the inning, junior shortstop Will Brennan reached first on a fielder’s choice and represented the game-winning run. During the next at-bat, Brennan used his speed to steal second and third to get himself one base away from winning the game.

With Brennan on third, all the Falcons had to do was get the ball to the outfield, which is exactly what freshman designated hitter Bryan Rocha did. Rocha flied out to left field, which allowed Brennan to score the game-winning run.

The Falcons will look to continue their hot streak when they travel to Stonehill on Wednesday before hosting Franklin Pierce in a three-game series this weekend.