WALTHAM, Mass. – The Saint Anselm College softball team dropped game one of its Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader to Bentley University before the team's played to a 7-7 tie in game two. The second game of the doubleheader was called due to darkness.

The Hawks move to 18-11-1 on the season with an 8-5-1 record in NE10 games while the Falcons go to 21-10-1 overall and 12-3-1 in conference play. Saint Anselm will be back in action on Wednesday, Apr. 19 with a conference doubleheader against in-state foe Franklin Pierce University from the South Athletic Fields.

Seniors Kate Irwin (Milford, Mass.) and Kylie Fitzpatrick (Danville, N.H.) led the Hawks offense with four hits apiece in the twinbill. Junior Gracie O'Hara (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and sophomore Ava Caputo (Waterford, N.Y.) collected three hits each while three other student-athletes recorded two on the day.

Irwin's four hits all came in game two which is a career-high and she drove in three runs which matches a career-best.

Junior Haile Hicks (Jefferson, N.H.) suffered the loss in game one after allowing three runs on four hits over 6.0 innings of work. Sophomore Sophia DiPippo (Cranston, R.I.) allowed four runs, two earned, on seven hits in 4.0 innings in game two before senior Ava Vincequere (Shrewsbury, Mass.) posted three runs on three hits in 3.0 innings of relief.

GAME ONE: Bentley 3, Saint Anselm 2

The Hawks opened game one with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Caputo singled to lead off the game before reaching second on a sacrifice bunt from classmate Stephanie Tardugno (Methuen, Mass.). O'Hara would singled which brought Fitzpatrick to the plate, who doubled home both runners to give the Hawks a 2-0 lead.

The Falcons replied with a pair of runs of their own in the bottom of the first. With two outs and runners on the corners, Dahlia Fink doubled to right field to plate both and tie the score at two.

Saint Anselm managed to get a pair of baserunners on in the top of the second but consecutive foul outs stranded both.

Bentley loaded the bases in the bottom of the third inning on a two-out walk. However, Hicks got a seven-pitch strikeout to get out of the jam.

Jordan Krause worked a leadoff walk to the bottom of the fifth and would score the eventual game-winning run on a double from Fink.

Saint Anselm went three up, three down in the top of the seventh as Bentley took game one by a 3-2 score.

GAME TWO: Saint Anselm 7, Bentley 7 (called due to darkness)

After both sides stranded a pair of runners in their respective halves of the first inning, Saint Anselm opened the scoring in game two in the top of the second. Irwin singled home sophomore Julia Howse (Reading, Mass.) who reached on a double earlier in the frame, giving the Hawks a 1-0 lead.

The Hawks extended the advantage to 3-0 in the top of the third as O'Hara and Fitzpatrick both registered singles. Sophomore Sam Wiberg (Exeter, N.H.) doubled to left center field to score O'Hara before Fitzpatrick scored on a wild pitch.

Bentley got two runs back in the bottom of the third. Kaylee Mankins would reach on a fielder's choice which brought home a run in a bases loaded scenario. After a walk reloaded the bases, Sabrina Grizzaffi singled to score a second run and make the contest 3-2 in favor of the Hawks.

The Falcons put two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the fourth inning and tied the contest on a ground out before a Fink single gave Bentley a 4-3 lead.

The Hawks responded with three in the top of the fifth inning. After a leadoff single from Fitzpatrick, Wiberg doubled which allowed the senior to score from first and tie the score. Later in the frame, Irwin singled through the right side which brought home Howse and sophomore Lauren Lejano (Cerritos, Calif.) who reached on a fielder's choice and a walk, which pushed the Hawks ahead, 6-4.

Bentley regained the lead on a bases clearing double from Krause in the bottom of the fifth, putting the hosts in front 7-6.

With two outs in the top of the seventh, Irwin kept the game alive with a single which advanced Howse to second. Caputo followed with a single up the middle, scoring Howse and knotting the score at seven.

Vincequere got the Falcons to go down in order in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings. However, the game was called due to darkness and will go down as a 7-7 tie.