ORONO, Maine – Sophomore pitcher
Sarah Miller got her 12th win of the season and sophomore outfielder
Jessica Rutherford went 4-for-6, highlighting Binghamton's split against Maine in an America East softball doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Kessock Field. The Bearcats (21-11, 7-1 AE) won the first game 7-3 but the Black Bears (16-15, 5-2 AE) got even with a 3-0 triumph in the finale.
Miller, who entered the day having thrown 20 consecutive scoreless innings, went the distance in the opener to improve her record to 12-5. She struck out five batters and allowed only a pair of hits over the final four innings.
Rutherford, meanwhile, went 2-for-3 in each game. She scored twice and drove in a run in the first game.
Senior outfielder
Sydney Harbaugh, junior outfielder
Gabby Bracchi and junior shortstop
Crysti Eichner each finished the day 2-for-6 (.333). Senior first baseman
Lisa Cadogan, meanwhile, had a pair of RBI.
Binghamton was down 3-1 through three innings of the first game. In each of the next three innings, however, the Bearcats scored twice to blow the game open.
Bracchi drove in the first run in the top of the fourth inning, trimming the deficit to 3-2. Eichner then scored the tying run on an error.
In the fifth inning, Rutherford scored the go-ahead run on a double by senior catcher
Taylor Chaffee. Eichner singled in the other run of the frame.
Rutherford's RBI single in the sixth inning padded the Bearcats' lead to 6-3. She scored one batter later on a single by Cadogan.
Mollie Flowers, who came into the weekend ranked first in the America East with a 2.41 ERA, took the loss. Her record is now 8-8.
While Flowers struggled against Binghamton in the opener, it was a completely different story for Maine pitcher Erin Bogdanovich in the nightcap. She held the Bearcats to just three hits, struck out five batters and did not issue a walk.
Offensively, Kristen Niland drove in a pair of runs and scored the Black Bears' other run of the game.
Bogdanovich improved to 4-4 while senior pitcher
Cara Martin fell to 5-3 with the loss.
Binghamton and Maine will play the rubber match on Sunday at 11 a.m.
