VESTAL, N.Y. – Junior third baseman Kate Richard belted a three-run homer and senior outfielder Bridget Hunt had a pair of RBI, powering Binghamton (21-21, 11-2 AE) to a 10-2 win over Maine (16-21, 10-4 AE) in an America East softball game on Sunday afternoon at the Bearcats Sports Complex before a facility-record of 536 fans. With the victory, the Bearcats extended their first-place lead to 1.5 games.

Heading into the final week of the regular-season, Binghamton is in the driver's seat to host the America East Tournament for the second consecutive year. The Bearcats need just two wins in their final four regular-season games or one win plus a Maine loss (in their final three games) to clinch the No. 1 seed.

On Sunday against the Maine, the Bearcats pounded out 11 hits and drew seven walks. While Richard and Hunt drove in the bulk of the runs, junior second baseman Stephanie Bielec went 3-for-5 and freshman catcher Sara Herskowitz finished 3-for-4. Senior outfielder Gabby Bracchi, meanwhile, was 2-for-4 and scored a game-high three runs.

Binghamton continued its outstanding pitching during weekend as freshman Rozlyn Price become the third Bearcat to pick up a complete-game victory. After allowing a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, she held Maine hitless the rest of the way. For the weekend, the Binghamton pitching staff had a 1.75 ERA.

"I thought we did a really good job at the plate today," head coach Michelle Johnston said. "We strung together a lot of hits and had very good at bats with two outs. We felt really confident that we were going to score runs and we are coming together very nicely as a team."

Richard had only one official at-bat but she made it count with her three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, giving the Bearcats a 3-2 lead. It was her third home run of the weekend and her 11th of the season. Richard also now has 45 RBI, which leads the America East and is the third-highest, single-season total in Binghamton program history.

Following Richard's home run, she was intentionally walked her next two times at the plate. That set the stage for the rest of her teammates to come through.

Hunt, meanwhile, had the big hit in the Bearcats' four-run, bottom of the fourth inning, which extended their lead to 7-2. She singled home a pair of runs and scored one batter later on a double by Herskowtiz. Senior shortstop Crysti Eichner capped off the scoring with another RBI double.

Bielec's final hit of the day finished the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. With two runners on, she reached base on a bunt and the throw sailed into the right field corner. That allowed Bielec to come all the way around to score the final run of the game.

Price is now 7-9 while Erin Bogdanovich fell to 5-10 with the loss.

Richard finished the weekend 5-for-6 (.833) with three home runs and six RBI. Her slugging percentage was an astronomical 2.500 and with three walks, her on-base percentage was .818.

Herskowitz was 5-for-10 (.500) with a home run and three RBI while Hunt was 3-for-8 (.375).

As a team, Binghamton hit .333 while holding Maine to a .183 batting average.

Binghamton heads to Albany on Tuesday for a 2 p.m. single game. It then travels to Stony Brook for a three-game series starting on Friday. Maine, meanwhile, hosts Albany in a three-game series—also starting on Friday.

NOTE: The previous facility record of 531 fans was set against Stony Brook on April 24, 2016. The Bearcats Sports Complex first opened in 2013.