NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – Sophomore shortstop Makayla Alvarez belted a three-run home run and sophomore outfielder Hannah Lyons drove in a pair of runs, powering Binghamton (3-1) to an 8-3 win over Santa Clara (0-6) in its final game at the CSUN Early Bird Classic.

Alvarez, who is now hitting a team-best .455 for the season, also drew a pair of walks and scored twice. She finished the season-opening tournament with a team-best two home runs and six RBI. Lyons, meanwhile, finished 2-for-3 against Santa Clara and is now hitting .417 so far this season.

Alvarez belted her three-run blast in the top of the second inning, giving the Bearcats a 3-1 lead. The Broncos tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the third inning but the Bearcats responded with four more runs in the top of the fourth inning. Lyons had the key hit of that frame with a two-run single.

The Bearcats tacked on their final run when junior designated player Kassidy Seary scored on a throwing error in the top of the fifth inning.

Sophomore pitcher Chelsea Howard came on in relief and tossed four scoreless innings to earn the victory. She is 1-0 this season. Reagan Dias took the loss, dropping her record to 0-1.
Sophomore third baseman Sarah Benn and freshman second baseman Marissa Braito each finished with a pair of hits.

Binghamton as a team finished their four-game run at the CSUN Early Bird Classic with a .301 team batting.

"It was great to play again and it was overall a very good first weekend," head coach Michelle Johnston said. "We are happy with the team effort in all of our games. We know the things we want to work on these next two weeks to keep getting better."

The Bearcats head to the South Florida Tournament March 1-3.

Junior pitcher Rayn Gibson finished the CSUN Early Bird Classic 1-0 with a save and a 2.62 ERA. Howard's ERA in three appearances was 2.63.

NOTES: Binghamton was making its third appearance in a tournament in California during its 18-year NCAA Division I ERA. The Bearcats took part in the 2009 St. Mary's Tournament as well as the 2016 Mary Nutter Classic (played in Cathedral City) … junior catcher Sara Herskowitz finished with five RBI during the CSUN Early Bird Classic.