WORCESTER, Mass. – Sophomore Corin Mahan (Abington, Mass.) sent home a combined five runs, which included providing a walk-off hit in the nightcap, to help propel the Assumption University softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Bentley on Thursday afternoon at Worcester State. The Greyhounds won the opener, 9-3, and the nightcap by a 6-5 decision to extend their winning streak to five games.

Game One: Assumption 9, Bentley 3

In the opener, the 12 runs between the teams were all scored in the first two innings of the game. After Erin Barry retired the first three Falcon batters, Assumption scored four times in the bottom of the first and led from wire-to-wire.

Sophomore Summer Sheerin (Bridgewater, Mass.) got the Greyhounds on the board when she hit an RBI single up the middle with the bases loaded, and classmate Kali Scirocco (Upton, Mass.) followed two batters later with a bases-clearing double to quickly make it 4-0.

Bentley (16-16, NE10 6-10) battled back by scoring three times in the top of the second, but the Greyhounds immediately responded with five more runs in the bottom half of the same frame. Mahan first recorded a two-run single up the middle, and Sheerin later followed with a three-run homer over the fence in center.

The Falcons tried to come back, but pitcher Erin Barry (Braintree, Mass.) and her defense were able to keep them off the board the rest of the way. A combined six Falcons were left on base between the third and seventh innings, allowing the hosts to come away with the six-run win.

Barry got the complete game win for Assumption and improved her record to 7-8 after allowing eight hits and three runs which were all earned. She also recorded one strikeout and issued a walk. Elise Perieira took the loss for Bentley after being lit up for six hits and eight runs, including four earned, while lasting just 1.1 innings as the starter.

Game Two: Assumption 6, Bentley 5

The nightcap started off much like the opener with the Greyhounds having a big inning offensively. Mahan provided the initial spark with an RBI double to score junior Jordan Dwyer, who hit a leadoff infield single, and freshman Makenzie Bruggeman followed with a home run to right center field to give the hosts an early 3-0 advantage.

Freshman Anna Tassone (Gardner, Mass.) was in complete control of the circle for the first six innings with help from behind her. A key defensive play happened when Trahan was on first base with just one out. Cain initially hit a ball off of Tassone that second baseman Lauren Geremia (North Providence, R.I.) recovered in time to throw out the Falcon at first. Trahan, meanwhile, tried to take an extra base but was caught in a rundown that was scored as a 3-6-5-4-6 in the books with Sheerin applying the tag at third to end the frame.

Despite losing momentum on the rundown play in the fourth inning, Bentley continued to threaten and eventually stormed back to score five times in the top of the seventh to take its first lead of the game and the entire afternoon. Four players registered RBI hits, which was capped by a two-run single to left by Mankins which made it 5-4 in favor of the visitors with two outs. Sophomore Samantha Hardwick (Albany, N.Y.), however, came on in relief and induced a flyout to the only batter she would need to face to get out of the inning.

Finding their backs against the wall for the first time all day, the Greyhounds shook off the tough inning and were able to complete their second straight sweep of a Northeast-10 Conference opponent in walk-off fashion. Freshman Ally Wargo (Watertown, N.Y.) got things started by reaching on an error with one out and made it over to second on a single sliced through the left side by Dwyer.

Geremia then followed with a single to the shortstop, which loaded the bases and set the stage for Mahan to be the hero. Mahan came through by singling to right to first plate Wargo, and with the help of an errant throw by the Falcon right fielder, Dwyer was able to also come home for the winning run.

Hardwick earned the win for Assumption and moved ahead to 2-3 on the spring by getting the only Falcon she faced out in the bottom of the ninth. Payton Doiron suffered the loss for Bentley and dropped to 4-4 after allowing six runs, including five earned, and 10 hits over 6.1 innings of work. She also fanned seven and did not issue a walk.

Assumption (13-20, NE10 10-6), which moved into fourth place in the standings with the two wins, will next visit Southern New Hampshire for a twinbill on Saturday beginning at 12 p.m.