VESTAL, N.Y. – Senior pitcher Shelby Donhauser threw seven shutout innings and recorded a pair of wins, leading Binghamton (12-17, 4-0 AE) to a 6-5, 4-0 sweep over Albany (16-13, 1-5 AE) on in an America East softball doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at the Bearcats Sports Complex. With the victories, the Bearcats are 4-0 in conference play for the third time in five seasons.

"It was great to get the two wins today and we are in a good position right now in the conference," head coach Michelle Burrell said. "We were down early in the first game but stayed composed, came back and got the momentum on our side."

It was a special day for Donhauser, who missed the past month due to a concussion she suffered at the Maryland Tournament one month ago. Against the Great Danes, she pitched 7.0 innings, allowed just two hits and six total base runners and struck out three batters. Donhauser tossed a scoreless seventh inning of the opener before reeling off six more such frames in the finale.

"It was a little emotional for me today after missing the past month with a concussion," she said. "All I wanted to do was get back on the field and I knew my team was behind me. I felt confident and the defense behind me was amazing."

After allowing a three-run home run to Kelly Barkevich in the top of the first inning of the opener, the Bearcat pitching staff settled down the rest of the day. Donhauser, freshman Rozlyn Price and fellow freshman Rayn Gibson allowed just two runs the final 13 innings and finished with a combined ERA of 2.00.

Offensively, senior shortstop Crysti Eichner batted a team-best .800 (4-for-5) and score three times. Junior outfielder Carrie Maniccia was 2-for-5 (.400) and drove in a team-best three runs. Junior second baseman Stephanie Bielec, meanwhile, was 2-for-6 (.333) and extended her hitting streak to six games – which ties her career best.

Following Barkevich's homer, Maniccia trimmed the deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the second inning of the opener. The Great Danes tacked on a run in the top of the third inning but Binghamton tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the same inning. Bielec scored the first run on a sacrifice fly and senior outfielder Bridget Hunt tripled home the tying run.

With the Bearcats down 5-4 in the top of the seventh inning, Donhauser came into the game. Although she allowed a hit, the Great Danes hit into a double play to end the threat.

Eichner led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a double. She later scored on a sacrifice fly by Maniccia to deadlock the game.

Senior designated player Gabby Bracchi followed with an infield single and then was involved in the game-winning play. She stole second base and the throw went all the way to the outfield wall, allowing her to score the game tying run.

Donhauser got her first win of the year, improving to 1-2. The loss was tagged to Celeste Verdolivo, who is now 5-6.

The Albany miscues continued in the bottom of the second inning of the nightcap. Maniccia reached base on an infield single and the throw went into right field, allowing a pair of runners to score. Two batters, later, she scored on a RBI single by Bielec, putting the Bearcats ahead 3-0.

Junior first baseman Jill Bovitt padded the lead to 4-0 with a RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning.

The rest of the day belonged to Donhauser, who did not allow a hit her final five innings and did not allow a run to advance past second base. Gibson then pitched a scoreless seventh frame to seal the shutout.

While Donhauser improved to 2-2, Devin Durando fell to 3-2 despite only allowing one earned run.

Defensively, Binghamton committed only one error on the day.

Binghamton continues conference play with a weekend series against UMass Lowell. Following a noon doubleheader on Saturday, the two teams will play a single noon game the following day.