WEST HARTFORD, Conn – Junior outfielder Jessica Rutherford finished with a team-high five RBI and senior pitcher Shelby Donhauser threw a two-hit shutout, leading Binghamton (18-19, 8-2 AE) to a 12-2, 5-0 sweep at Hartford (3-35, 0-10 AE) in an America East softball doubleheader on Sunday afternoon. With the victories, the Bearcats also sweep the three-game series against the Hawks and move to within one game of first-place Maine (9-1 AE) in the conference standings.

Rutherford, who was 3-for-8 (.375) with a home run, drove in three of her runs in the second game. She also scored four runs during the day. For the season, Rutherford continues to lead the team with a .393 batting average.

Donhauser, meanwhile, improved to 4-3 while recording the first complete-game shutout of her career. She has picked up the win in four of her last five appearances and has not allowed four times during that stretch.

Junior third baseman Kate Richard drove in four runs, going 3-for-6 (.500) in the process while freshman catcher Sara Herskowitz had three RBI, finishing the day 3-for-7 (.429).

Junior second baseman Stephanie Bielec hit a team-best .714 (5-for-7) during the doubleheader. She ended the weekend series with a .818 batting average, with nine hits in 11 at-bats.

It was also a milestone day for junior outfielder Gabby Bracchi, who stole a school-record five bases in the first game against Hartford. She broke the old mark of three steals in a game, which had previously been recorded numerous times. Bracchi also scored a career-high four runs in the first game, the most scored by a Binghamton player since current assistant coach Jessica Bump did the same against Radford on March 23, 2013.

Richard drove in all four of her runs in the opening game. Her two-run triple put the Bearcats up 2-0 in the top of the first inning.

Three innings later, Richard capped a four-run inning with a sacrifice fly, padding the lead to 6-0. Earlier in the frame, Herskowitz drilled a two-run homer.

After Hartford got a run back in the bottom of the fourth inning, Binghamton tacked on three more runs in the top of the fifth inning to go up 9-1. Rutherford's two-run single was the key hit of the frame.

The Hawks extended the game with a home run in the bottom of the fifth inning but the Bearcats added three more runs in the top of the sixth inning.

Freshman pitcher Rozlyn Price improved to 6-8 with the win. Melissa Periera fell to 1-11 with the loss.

In the nightcap, Herskowitz gave the Bearcats a 1-0 lead with a RBI single in the top of the second inning. The next inning, junior first baseman Jillian Bovitt made it 2-0 when she scored on a throwing error.

Rutherford smacked a two-run home run in the top of the fifth inning and capped the game's scoring with a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh inning.

Isabelle Gerrone took the loss and is now 0-11.

Bovitt finished the second game with a career-high two doubles. She went 2-for-5 (.400) during the doubleheader and tied Rutherford for the team high with four runs.

Junior third baseman Crysti Eichner was 3-for-6 (.500).

As a team, Binghamton hit .411 during the three-game weekend series and psted an ERA of just 1.75.

"We did a great job both on the mound and defensively this weekend," head coach Michelle Burrell said. "We didn't make a lot of mistakes and had a great presence from all of our pitchers. Offensively, we were making them work and were putting good pressure on from the first to last pitch."

Binghamton returns home for a non-conference doubleheader against Hofstra on Tuesday at 3 p.m.

NOTES: Richard now has 39 RBI, which continues to lead the America East and is tied for the seventh-highest, single-season total in program history … Bracchi has 64 career stolen bases, which moves into second place all time in Binghamton history. Against Hartford, she surpassed Bump, who had 63 thefts during her career (2011-14) … Rutherford's 164 career hits, meanwhile, moves her into fifth place all time. She too passes Bump, who had 162 career hits.