WALTHAM, Mass. – The top hitting baseball team in the Northeast-10 returns to Florida this weekend where Bentley is slated for eight games against six opponents, March 8-15, in Lake Worth Beach. The Falcons take on Molloy (March 8), California (PA) (March 9), Wilmington (March 10), Southern Connecticut (March 11), Caldwell (March 12), New Haven (March 13), and Caldwell again for the final two games (March 14-15).

Big lumber

Bentley enters the weekend with a .329 batting average. It is the only team in the NE10 hitting over .300. The Falcons also lead the conference in on-base percentage (.437), slugging percentage (.514), and runs (96).

Hunter on the mark

Hunter Smith was named the NE10 Rookie of the Week following Bentley's four-game series against St. Michael's in Waltham (March 2-3). In three non-conference games against St. Michael's, Smith went 6-for-13 (.462) at the plate, including a 4-for-6 effort in the series opener. Overall, he swiped four bases, hit a triple, and scored five times. Bentley won three of the four games against the Purple Knights.

Stacking hits

Five Falcons rank top-10 in the NE10 for total hits this season. Cory Bright and Hunter Smith are tied for is second in the conference with 15 hits, each. Tim Zupkus is tied for sixth for 14 hits, while Steve Rizzuto and Jackson are tied for eighth with 13 hits.

Brighten up

Cory Bright is hitting .417 with a .571 on-base percentage through his 11 games this season. The latter mark ranks second in the NE10. Bright was named NE10 Player of the Week following Bentley's 4-0 trip to Myrtle Beach (Feb. 23-25). Bright scored seven of Bentley's 53 runs on the weekend, and he knocked in five more. Overall, the Melrose, Mass. native hit .429 (6-for-14) and drew four walks between the four wins.

Pick up the hard hat

Steve Hardiman has a stellar 2.40 ERA through three starts (15.0 IP) this season. He has allowed 10 hits and struck out 13 during that stretch.

F-L-I-N-T spells relief

Harper Flint has made two appearances for a total of 9.0 IP this season. His ERA an even 1.00, and he has 12 strikeouts to only two walks and five hits.