When and Where: April 24, 2021 – Hooksett, N.H. (Penmen Field)
Game 1 Score: Southern New Hampshire University 14, Bentley University 9
Game 2 Score: Bentley University 17, Southern New Hampshire University 3
Records: SNHU 13-1 (13-1 NE10), Bentley 13-7 (12-6 NE10)

Graduate student Marcus Chavez (Queens, N.Y.) went 4-for-7 and drove in a pair of runs, as the 11th-ranked Southern New Hampshire University baseball team split a pair of games with Bentley University on Saturday at Penmen Field. SNHU posted a 14-9 victory in game one, before the Falcons earned revenge in the form of a 17-3 win in the second game.

LINKS: GAME 1 BOX SCORE | GAME 2 BOX SCORE

STANDOUT PERFORMERS

• Chavez – 4-7, double, 2 RBI, 3 runs, stolen base
• Sophomore Bryce Reagan (Amherst, N.H.) – 3-6, double, 3 RBI, run, walk
• Freshman Cam Caraher (Plymouth, Mass.) – 3-run home run (game 1)

KEY MOMENTS - GAME 1

• After Bentley drew first blood in the top of the first, SNHU answered in the home half when redshirt-freshman Michael LaRocca (Vero Beach, Fla.) came through with an RBI single into left that tied the game.
• The Penmen then exploded for eight in the second, with RBI singles from redshirt-freshman Danniel Rivera (New Britain, Conn.) and redshirt-junior Dakota Mulcay (Goffstown, N.H.), a two-run double by sophomore Kieran Dowd (E. Islip, N.Y.) and a run-scoring double off the bat of Chavez causing damage, before Caraher's two-out, three-run blast to right made it 9-1.
• Bentley would climb back in it with a five-run third that trimmed its deficit to six.
• It was 10-7 in the fifth when Regan delivered a two-out, two run base hit to left that gave the Penmen more breathing room at 12-7.
• Regan added an RBI single in the seventh, with Bentley scoring a pair in the eighth to pull within 13-9.
• Mercedes capped the scoring in the bottom of the eighth with his straight steal of home with two outs in the inning that sent the Penmen dugout into a frenzy.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE - GAME 1

• Redshirt-junior Alex Gomes (Peabody, Mass.) earned the win to improve to 4-0, as he worked six innings and was charged with seven runs - two earned - on five hits, while striking out four and walking a pair.
• Freshman Trevor Anibal (Bedford, N.H.) earned his first save with three innings of relief work, allowing two runs - both unearned - on one hit, while fanning three and walking two.
• Chavez (double, RBI, 3 runs) and Reagan (double, 3 RBI) both went 3-for-4.
• Rivera (double, walk, RBI, 2 runs, steal) and Dowd (double, walk, RBI, 2 runs) were each 2-for-5.
• Redshirt-freshman Christian Mercedes (Providence, R.I.) was 1-for-2 with two walks, an RBI, two runs scored and a steal.
• Mulcay (walk, RBI, 2 runs), graduate student Joshua Goldstein (Haverhill, Mass.; walk, run, steal) and junior Idelson Taveras (Lawrence, Mass.; walk, run) were all 1-for-4.
• Caraher went 1-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and a run.
• LaRocca finished 1-for-1 with an RBI.

KEY MOMENTS - GAME 2

• Bentley jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a home run from Ryan Berardino.
• The visitors added five in the third with an RBI single from Berardino and a grand slam off the bat of Charlie Auditore making it 7-0.
• The Falcons broke it open with six more in the fourth, highlighted by Jackson Walonis' three-run homer.
• Bentley made it an even 15-0 in the fifth, before Taveras broke up the no-hitter in the home half and Goldstein vanquished the shutout with a two-run triple to right-center. Chavez came through with an RBI single three batters later that made it 15-3.
• Bentley would tack on two more in the seventh.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE - GAME 2

• Redshirt-junior Jeffrey Praml (Bridgewater, N.J.) suffered his first loss to dip to 3-1, as he was tagged for 12 runs on 11 hits in three-and-a-third innings, while punching out five and walking one.
• Goldstein (triple, 2 RBI, run), Chavez (RBI) and Taveras (run) were all 1-for-3.
• Redshirt-freshman Parker Hansen (Granby, Conn.) relinquished three runs on a hit and four walks, while striking out a pair, in an inning-and-two-thirds.
• Redshirt-freshman Nick Assad (Franklin, Mass.) gave up one hit in a shutout inning of work.
• Graduate student Tyler Fitzgerald (Peabody, Mass.) allowed two runs - one earned - on two hits over one inning.

NOTES

• Southern New Hampshire, ranked 11th in the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II Poll, started 13-0 for the first time since 2016 and were one win away from starting 14-0 for the first time ever. The Penmen were also 13-0 in 2016.
• SNHU had its 17-game winning streak, which dated back to last season, snapped. The Penmen have now won 25 of their last 27 dating back to last season.
• The Penmen move to 5-1 at home this season and are now 100-25 (.800) at Penmen Field since the start of the 2014 season.
• Caraher's home run was his second of the season and the second of his career.
• Chavez and Goldstein extend their hitting streaks to seven games, while LaRocca has now hit safely in six straight contests. Chavez has recorded a hit in 11 of his last 12, while Goldstein and LaRocca have a hit in 10 of their last 11. Taveras has hit safely in nine of the last 10.
• Rivera had his seven-game hitting streak snapped in game two.

UP NEXT

• The Penmen return to action Sunday (April 25) when they play host to Bentley University in another doubleheader at Penmen Field. The game times have been pushed back to 3 and 6 p.m. due to expected rain.

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