WEST HARTFORD, Conn. --- Junior second baseman Stepahnie Bielec went 4-for-4 and scored a pair of runs, leading Binghamton (16-19, 6-2 AE) to a 5-3 win at Hartford (3-33, 0-8 AE) in an America East softball game on Saturday afternoon. The victory is the third straight for the Bearcats, who remain in sole possession of second place in the conference.

The four hits represents a career-high for Bielec. She finished the day with a triple and three singles. Freshman catcher Sara Herskowitz was 2-for-3 and scored a run.

The Hawks, meanwhile, were undone by three errors, all of which led to Bearcat runs. They allowed an unearned run in the top of the first inning but bounced back to take a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the same inning. In the top of the third inning, however, two more errors resulted in three Binghamton runs.

Bielec gave the Bearcats an insurance run when she belted her triple with one out in the top of the seventh inning. She scored one batter later on a single by junior outfielder Jessica Rutherford.

The triple by Bielec was Binghamton's 17th of the season. That breaks the program record of 16 triples, set during the 1995 campaign.

After allowing three runs in the first inning, freshman pitcher Rayn Gibson tossed six shutout innings, upping her record to 7-5. The loss was tagged to Bianca Ross, who is now 1-13.

Binghamton and Hartford conclude their series with a noon doubleheader on Sunday.

NOTES: Prior to Saturday, Bielec's career high of three hits in a game was reached six times ... Maine continues to lead the conference with a 9-1 record.