Sophomore Megan Staudle led Stonehill at the plate today, as she went 2-for-4 with a double and one RBI.

Carbone fans career-high nine batters as Stonehill loses for just the second time in ten games

WALTHAM, Mass. (April 10, 2014) –Stonehill College scored twice in the bottom of the third inning to pull within one run, but failed to generate offense over the final four frames in a 3-2 loss to Bentley University this afternoon in Northeast-10 Northeast Division softball action at Bentley's softball field. Stonehill batted second and served as the home team, as the game was originally scheduled to be played at Gartland Field in Easton, Mass.

Sophomore Megan Staudle (New Windsor, N.Y./Cornwall Central) paced Stonehill offensively with a 2-for-4 effort at the plate, including a double and one RBI, while classmate Megan Ruonavaara (Rocky Hill, Conn./Rocky Hill) was 1-for-2 with one RBI. Senior Jocelynne Morrell (West Haven, Conn./West Haven) and sophomore Alison Sumski (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan) also recorded one hit apiece, as Stonehill lost for just the second time in its last ten contests.

Freshman Michelle Carbone (Deer Park, N.Y./St. Anthony's) dropped to 5-2 with the loss despite posting a complete game effort, allowing three runs on six hits to go with a career-high nine strikeouts and no walks.

Bentley was led by freshman Kelsey Kennedy (Bedford, N.H./Bedford), who went 2-for-4 out of the leadoff spot and scored one run, while seniors Kelly Sanborn (Hopkinton, Mass./Hopkinton) and Jackie Gauthier (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) and sophomore Alex Borrelli (Salem, N.H./Central Catholic) each went 1-for-3 with one RBI.

Sophomore Kelly Ferris (Seymour, Conn./Seymour) earned the win for the Falcons after pitching the final 4.1 innings and allowing just four hits and no runs while striking out three. Freshman Kelsey Smith (Jaffrey, N.H./Conant) started the game in the circle and gave up two runs on one hit in 2.2 innings of work to go with three walks and one strikeout.

Senior Jocelynne Morrell went 1-for-4 in Stonehill's 3-2 loss to Bentley today.

After a scoreless first, Bentley got on the board with a single run in the top of the second. With two outs in the inning, senior Samantha Tierney (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) singled before Sanborn drove her in with a double to center field.

The Falcons added two more runs in the top of the third inning to go up 3-0. Kennedy led off with a single, and advanced to second on a sacrifice. After the next batter flied out, Borrelli singled to center field and advanced on the throw as Kennedy came around to score. Gauthier came up next and delivered another run-scoring single, but the Falcons would not score again in the game.

Stonehill finally answered in the bottom half of the inning with a pair of runs on two hits. Carbone sandwiched a walk between a pair of outs, and Staudle recorded an RBI double to cut Bentley's lead to 3-1. After the next batter walked, Ruonavaara singled to left field, scoring Staudle and bringing the Skyhawks to within one run. Bentley got out of the inning with a strikeout, stranding two runners on base.

The Skyhawks had a golden opportunity to tie the score the following inning, as they put runners on first and third with nobody out, but Morrell grounded into a double play and Carbone followed with a line out to end the threat. Stonehill again got a runner to second base in the fifth inning, but couldn't capitalize, and the Skyhawks were unable to put a rally together in the sixth or seventh.

Stonehill (13-13, 8-4 NE-10) will be off tomorrow before opening a huge three game series with Northeast Division rival Southern New Hampshire University on Saturday afternoon. Stonehill and Southern New Hampshire will play twice on Saturday beginning at 12:30 p.m., before wrapping up the series on Sunday with a single game starting at the same time. Bentley (10-11, 4-7 NE-10) is set to host Franklin Pierce University tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m.

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