Bentley stuns SNHU in tourney

By rbrown
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Updated: May 10, 2023

When and Where: May 9, 2023 – Hooksett, N.H. (Penmen Field)
Score: Bentley University 7, #11/21 Southern New Hampshire University 4
Records: SNHU 37-11, Bentley 23-20

Juniors Cam Caraher (Plymouth, Mass.) and Nick Schwartz (Massapequa, N.Y.) each homered, but the No. 11/23 and NE10 Northeast Division’s top-seeded Southern New Hampshire University baseball team lost to Bentley University, the Northeast’s No. 4 seed, 7-4, in an NE10 Championship first round matchup Tuesday at Penmen Field.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS

Caraher – 2-4, 2 RBI, R, HR
Schwartz – 1-2, RBI, 2 R, HR, BB
Redshirt-junior Cristian Mercedes (Providence, R.I.) – 1-3, RBI

KEY MOMENTS

Bentley opened the scoring when Steve Rizzuto led off the top of the second with a home run to center, only to be answered in the home half, when Schwartz belted a leadoff homer to center, as Southern New Hampshire tied the score, 1-1.
Bentley went back in front in the third on a Liam Sears RBI single through the left side and added three in the fourth on a trio of run-scoring singles that stretched the Falcon lead to 5-1.
The Penmen began to scratch their way back, with a two-run blast to center from Caraher in the fourth and an RBI single to left by Mercedes in the fifth trimming the deficit to 5-4.
Bentley scored a pair of crucial runs against the SNHU bullpen in the eighth, using an error, two walks, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly to open a 7-4 advantage.
In the ninth, the Penmen put two on with no one out, before Bentley finally went to its ‘pen and it paid off, with the next three batters being retired to end it.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Freshman Dyrenson Wouters (Oranjestad, Aruba) went 1-for-4 and scored a run.
Senior Jeffrey Praml (Bridgewater, N.J.) was handed his second straight loss to fall to 9-3 on the season, as he gave up five runs – four earned – on nine hits, while striking out three and walking a pair, over seven innings.
Junior Griffin Gilbert (Concord, N.H.) was charged with two runs – both unearned – while not giving up a hit, striking out one and walking a pair, over two innings.
Bentley’s Brandon Ostiguy (5-3) allowed four runs on five hits, while punching out five and walking one, over eight-plus innings of work.

NOTES

Southern New Hampshire, ranked 11th in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II Top 25 and 21st in the Collegiate Baseball Division II Poll, has won 26 of its last 29.
SNHU, the two-time defending NE10 Champion, falls to 21-10 (.677) all-time in the NE10 Championship tournament, including 3-2 against Bentley.
The Penmen dip to 13-2 (.867) at home this season and are now 129-29 (.816) at Penmen Field since the beginning of the 2014 season.
Bentley leads the all-time series with SNHU, 42-39, and, with the win, snaps a nine-game losing streak against the Penmen, who have won 11 of the last 14 meetings.
Schwartz’ home run gives him 12 on the season and 21 for his career, which ties him for second in the program’s all-time record book. He has gone deep in four of the last six games.
Caraher, who has gone yard 10 times in his last 15 games, is tied for first in the league with 13 dingers on the season and is even with Schwartz with with 21 in his career.
Schwartz continues to lead the NE10 in hitting (.412) and RBI (63), while sitting in a second-place tie in home runs (12).
Junior Danniel Rivera (New Britain, Conn.), who has hit safely in 30 of his last 32, went 0-for-4 to watch his 23-game hitting streak come to an end.
Caraher has a hit in 14 of his last 15, including nine straight, while Schwartz has hit safely in 10 of 12.
The Penmen have now scored 464 runs in 48 games (9.7). The 464 runs rank third in the program’s single-season record book, with the top mark of 494 runs being held by the 2016 squad.

UP NEXT

The Penmen will now await their seeding for the NCAA Division II Championship, which begins May 18. The NCAA Selection Show airs Sunday (May 14) at 10 p.m. on NCAA.com.