VESTAL, N.Y. – Katie Falotico homered twice and drove in seven runs, powering Albany (16-9, 5-0 AE) to a 13-5, 7-4 sweep over Binghamton (14-18, 3-5 AE) in an America East softball doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at the Bearcats Sports Complex. In the process, the Great Danes remain tied with UMass Lowell for first place in the conference.

For the Bearcats, the sweep overshadowed a stellar performance by junior catcher Sara Herskowitz. She finished the day 5-for-7 (.714) with three doubles, a home run and three RBI. Her three doubles all came in the second game, which ties the school record set by Christina Quijano against UMES back on March 14, 2004.

Sophomore third baseman Sarah Benn hit .500 (3-for-6) during the doubleheader and drove in a team-best four runs. Freshman shortstop Alli Richmond went 2-for-5 (.400).

The Bearcats were up 4-0 heading after three innings of the first game. Herskowitz clubbed a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning and Benn came through with a RBI single one inning later.

Albany, however, reeled off eight runs in the top of the fourth inning. Falocito homered to lead off the frame and capped the scoring with a three-run homer run.

The Bearcats got a run back in the bottom of the fourth inning when junior outfielder Stephanie Ragusa scored on a throwing error. The Great Dane attack, however, scored five more runs over the remaining three innings.
Celeste Verdoliva improved to 11-2 with the victory while junior pitcher Rozlyn Price fell to 3-3 with the loss.

In the second-game, Benn broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run double in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Down to their last three outs, however, Albany erupted for six runs in the top of the seventh inning. Falotico drilled a three-run double to tie the game and Kelly Barkevich smacked the go-ahead three-run homer run.

Chloe Lewis improved to 1-3 with the victory while Verdolivo came on in the bottom of the seventh to record her first save of the season.

The loss was tagged to junior pitcher Rayn Gibson, whose record is now 7-8. Prior to the top of the seventh inning, she has gone 15 innings without allowed an earned run.

The three hits for Herskowitz in the nightcap also ties her career high. For the season, she is now tied for the team lead with six home runs and is first with 24 RBI.

Binghamton hosts UMass Lowell in a three-game conference series this weekend. The two teams will square off in a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday and wrap up with a noon game on Sunday.

NOTES: Sophomore shortstop Makayla Alvarez has also homered six times so far this season ... Herskowitz has now homered five times in the past 10 games .... she now has a team-best eight multiple RBI performances this season.