GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – Senior first baseman Kaylee Mankins (North Attleboro, Mass./Bishop Feehan HS) drove in six runs, one shy of the NCAA Division II championship record, and junior Payton Doiron (Beacon Falls, Conn./St. Joseph HS) pitched a four-hit shutout as Bentley University advanced to the NCAA East Regional 1 final with an 8-0 five-inning win over eighth-seeded Saint Thomas Aquinas College Friday at Adelphi University's Janet L. Ficke Field.

Bentley, 30-15-1, will need to defeat nationally-ranked and top-seeded Adelphi (45-6) twice on Saturday to gain the regional championship. The first game is scheduled for 12 noon.

Bentley emerged from the elimination portion of the bracket to earn the finals berth. Earlier on Friday, the Falcons were blanked by NE10 Pitcher of the Year Lindsey Hibbs (Brampton, Ont.) and Adelphi, 2-0.

After being kept off the scoreboard by the Panthers, Bentley wasted no time against St. Thomas Aquinas, scoring three times in the bottom of the first inning.

Sophomore left fielder Jordan Krause (San Pedro, Calif./San Pedro HS) ignited the rally with a two-out single to right center. Graduate catcher Ella Hillier (Tualatin, Ore./Tualatin HS) singled to left center and sophomore designated player Dahlia Fink (Sherman Oaks, Calif./Notre Dame HS) walked to load the bases. All three came around to score on Mankins' double to right center.

Bentley picked up another run in the fourth and again the same players were involved. Krause and Hillier singled to left, Fink reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases and Mankins singled up the middle to plate Krause.

Coach Terry McDonough's squad doubled its lead in the fourth, scoring enough to invoke the mercy rule once five innings were played. Hillier had an RBI single, Fink hit a sacrifice fly to center and Mankins had another hit, this time a double that drove in two runs.

Doiron gave up a one-out single in the fifth, but retired the next two batters with a strikeout and a liner right back at her to record her 17^th win of the season, breaking the school record. Doiron finished with five strikeouts, pushing her school record totals to 179 this season and 286 career.

Bentley's 11 hits included three apiece by Mankins and Hillier, as well as two each for Krause and senior third baseman Jess Trahan (Merrimack, N.H./Merrimack HS). With her three runs scored, Krause now has 41 for the season, breaking the school record of 39 set by Karen Mishelof in 1995.

Against Adelphi, Bentley managed only two singles off Hibbs, two singles by senior center fielder Sam Petow (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury HS). She moved close to 400 strikeouts this season after fanning 12 Falcons without a walk.

Adelphi broke a scoreless tie in the fourth on an RBI single by junior designated player Alexa Sacripante (Bay Shore, N.Y.). The Panthers picked up insurance in the fifth on an RBI single by senior shortstop Amanda Owens (Hyde Park, N.Y.).

Fink started for Bentley and gave up two hits and one run in four innings. Doiron pitched the final two and also allowed one run.

Bentley and Adelphi have met three times this season with the Panthers having won twice and the Falcons once.