VESTAL, N.Y. – Fourth-seeded Albany (25-15) rallied for a 4-3, eight-inning victory over Binghamton (21-24) in a second-round game at the America East Softball Tournament on Thursday afternoon at the Bearcats Sports Complex. With the defeat, the Bearcats will next play in an elimination game on Friday at 1:30 p.m. The opponent has yet to be determined.

The Bearcats were two outs away from victory in the top of the seventh inning but Liz Snow – the newly-minted America East Player of the Year – tied the game with her 13th home run of the year. One inning later, Sarah Petzold scored the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice.

Binghamton got the first two runners on base in the bottom of the eighth inning but proceeded to hit into a double play. The tying run was left on second base when the game ended.

"We are disappointed," head coach Michelle Johnston said. "We had our chances with runners on base but we didn't come through today."

Earlier in the game, the Bearcats got solo home runs from freshman catcher Sara Herskowitz and junior third baseman Kate Richard. Herskowitz put the Bearcats up 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning while Richard's blast in the bottom of the third inning made the score 2-1.

Richard finished the game 3-for-4. Her home run was her 13th of the season, tying Snow and Alyssa Derrick of Maine for the America East lead. In addition, she now has a conference-best 47 RBI.

Following Richard's home run, Albany tied the game on a solo home run by Donna Conrad in the top of the fifth inning. The Bearcats got the lead back in the bottom of the same inning when junior outfielder Jessica Rutherford scored on a sacrifice fly.
Rutherford finished the day 2-for-3.

Celeste Verdolivo improved to 6-5 with the victory while senior pitcher Shelby Donhauser fell to 5-6.