VESTAL, N.Y. – The Binghamton softball (8-14, 1-1 AE) settled for a split against UMBC (7-22, 2-3 AE) in an America East doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Chenango Valley High School. The Bearcats took the first game 6-3 but lost an 8-6 slugfest in the finale.

Sophomore pitcher Rayn Gibson got the complete-game victory in the opener, striking out a career-high 11 batters in the process. She scattered three runs (one of which was unearned) on three hits to raise her record to 4-5.

Offensively, sophomore designated player Kassidy Seary hit a team-best .667 (4-for-6) during the doubleheader with two doubles and a pair of RBI. Senior outfielder Jessica Rutherford and senior third baseman Kate Richard also finished with two RBI while freshman outfielder Lauren Martinez homered and drove in a team-best three runs.

In the first game, Binghamton broke open a scoreless tie with three runs in the bottom of the third inning and followed with two more runs in the fifth inning. Rutherford singled in two runs in the third inning while Seary doubled in two runs in the fifth inning.

Gibson had a no hitter going through five innings but the Retrievers got all three of their runs and hits in the top of the sixth inning. Haley DeLaney belted a two-run home run during that frame.

The Bearcats got an important insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning when sophomore pinch hitter Rozlyn Price drilled a one-out solo home run.

Kim Puicco took the loss in the first game, dropping her record to 5-13.

In the nightcap, the Bearcats fell behind 2-0 but came up with three runs in the bottom of the third inning. Richard's two-run double was the key hit of the frame and put the Bearcats ahead 3-2.

The Retrievers came right back with four runs in the top of the fourth inning and added two more runs in the fifth inning to go up 8-4. Binghamton's only response during that stretch was Martinez' homer to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning.

Martinez came through again in the bottom of the fifth inning, with a two-run single that pulled the Bearcats to within 8-6. From there, however, the Bearcats left a pair of runners on base in the sixth inning and went down in order in the seventh inning.

Puicco went the distance in the second game while freshman pitcher Chelsea Howard fell to 1-2 with the loss.

Binghamton and UMBC conclude their three-game series at noon on Sunday – also at Chenango Valley High School.

NOTES: Rutherford, finished the day with a pair of hits which increased her program-record total to 200 career hits. She now has a team-best six game hitting streak … Gibson's strikeout total is the highest by a Binghamton pitcher since Demi Laney also struck out 11 batters at Maine on April 26, 2014.