NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – Binghamton (2-1) split a pair of games in the second day of the CSUN Early Bird Classic on Saturday morning. The Bearcats defeated the host squad (3-5) 7-5 but lost 8-4 to Cal-State Bakersfield (4-2) in the nightcap.

Sophomore shortstop Makayla Alvarez hit a team-best .500 (3-for-6) with a home run and two RBI while junior catcher Sarah Herskowitz homered and drove in a team-best three runs. Sophomore outfielder Sarah Benn finished the day with a pair of RBI.

In the opener against CSUN, Benn put the Bearcats up 3-2 in the top of the second inning with a two-run single. One inning later, Herskowitz padded the lead to 4-2 a solo home run.

The host Matadors got a run back in the bottom of the third inning but Binghamton answered with two more runs in the top of the fourth inning. Alvarez led off the frame with a home run.
Nursing a 6-5 lead in the top of the seventh inning, the Bearcats took advantage of a fielding error to plate their final run of the game.

Junior pitcher Rozlyn Price improved to 1-0 while junior pitcher Rayn Gibson tossed two scoreless innings to record her first save of the season. Elise Madison dropped to 1-1 with the loss.
Eight different Binghamton players had a hit in the first game.

In the nightcap against Cal-State Bakersfield, Herskowitz had a pair of ground out RBI in the first three innings as the Bearcats jumped out to a 3-1 lead. When sophomore first baseman Alex Guay doubled home a run in the bottom of the sixth inning, Binghamton appeared to be in control with a 4-2 cushion.

It was the top of the seventh inning, however, that proved fatal for Binghamton. The Roadrunners scored six runs on just three hits to take an 8-4 lead. The final four runs were unearned.

Daryn Heitzel improved to 1-0 with the victory while freshman pitcher Morgan Bienkowski was tagged with the loss, dropping her record to 0-1.

Alvarez went 2-for-3 in the second game while freshman second baseman Marissa Braito scored a team-best two times.

Binghamton closes out their stay at the CSUN Early Bird Classic against Santa Clara on Sunday. Start time is set for 11 a.m. EST (8 a.m. local time).

NOTES: Sophomore outfielder Lauren Martinez is batting a team-best .500 (4-for-8) so far during the tournament while Alvarez is hitting .444 (4-for-9) and Guay is hitting .400 (4-for-10). Herskowitz (5) and Guay (4) are the Bearcats' top RBI leaders … Gibson is 1-0 with a save and a 2.62 ERA in 10.2 innings of work.