WALTHAM, Mass. - Sophomore Jennifer Bernier (Rehoboth) authored a four-hit shutout in the opener and junior Nikki Ingalls (Westford) scattered seven hits in the second game as Bryant University remained hot, sweeping Bentley, 4-0 and 11-2, in a Northeast-10 Conference softball doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Bentley.
        Bryant, 11-1 in its last 12 games, improved to 19-13 overall (17-3 NE-10) and took sole possession of first place in the conference over idle UMass-Lowell. Bentley, after seeing its losing streak reach 11, fell to 4-29 overall and 1-17 in the NE-10.
        Bentley junior Maureen McGinn (St. Albans, Vt.) took a perfect game into the fifth inning of the opener, but saw her bid for perfection end when Bulldog senior catcher Jordan Dargon (Trumbull, Conn.) walked to open that inning. She moved to second on a ground out and scored the game's first run on an error.
        Bryant added to its lead in the sixth when it would have the only three hits allowed by McGinn (8 strikeouts) in the game, including a lead-off single by freshman DH Stephanie Mirando (North Haven, Conn.) to end the no-hit bid. The big blow was a two-run single by junior shortstop Amanda Gagne (Wilbraham).
        Bernier's second shutout of the season saw her walk two and strike out four while not allowing a runner past second base.
        Bryant, the number one hitting team in the conference, pounded out ten hits in the nightcap while posting a pair of four-run innings. Four in the third made it a 6-0 game, and four more in the sixth closed out the scoring.
        Junior centerfielder Amanda Wilbur (Lakeville) had a direct hand in seven of the 11 runs, hitting a three-run homer and finishing with four runs scored and four RBI. Sophomore first baseman Victoria Duane (West Haven, Conn.) matched Wilbur's two hits and also had three RBI.
        Ingalls struck out five and did not issue a walk while improving to 7-3 on the spring.