VESTAL, N.Y. – Izzy Nieblas and Kelby Drews each homered and drove in three runs, powering Maine (10-14, 6-3 AE) to a 3-2, 8-2 sweep over Binghamton (7-9, 3-8 AE) in an America East softball doubleheader on Sunday at the Bearcats Sports Complex. With the victories, the Black Bears take three out of the four games during the weekend series – including two of the three games that counted in the conference standings.

Neiblas broke a 2-2 tie in the opener with the game-winning RBI double in the top of the fifth inning. She then picked up where she left off in the top of the first inning of the second game with a two-run double, giving the Black Bears a quick 2-0 lead.

Drew, meanwhile, followed with a two-run home run in that same top of the first inning, padding the lead to 4-0. She tacked on a RBI single in the top of the fifth inning, which padded the lead to 8-0.

The Bearcats jumped out to the early lead in the opener on a two-run home run by senior shortstop Makayla Alvarez. It was her second home run in as many games.

Mariah Pearson pulled Maine to within 2-1 with a RBI double in the top of the second inning. She then tied the game on a fielder's choice in the top of the fourth inning.

After allowing Alvarez's home run, Kyleigh O'Donnell held the Bearcats to just two hits the rest of the way. In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Bearcats had a pair of runners on base but she was able to get out of the jam, improving her record to 8-2 in the process.

The loss was tagged to freshman pitcher Hannah Mearns, who is now 2-2.

Junior shortstop Marissa Braito went 2-for-3 in the opener.

Down 8-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning of the final game, sophomore pitcher/designated player Sophia Pappas extended play with a two-run single. It gave her a team-best nine RBI for the season.

From there, however, the Bearcats left two runners on base in the bottom of the sixth inning and went down in order one inning later.

Emily Reid evened her record at 1-1 with the victory while junior pitcher Morgan Bienkowski fell to 0-3 with the loss.

Pappas finished the second game 2-for-4.

Alvarez batted a team-best .375 (3-for-8) during the weekend and drove in five runs. Freshman catcher Hailey Ehlers went 2-for-4 (.500) and reached base four times.

Binghamton faces Colgate next weekend in non-conference play. The Bearcats and Raiders square off on Saturday at the Bearcats Sports Complex for a noon a doubleheader and head to Hamilton for a noon date on Sunday for another two games.

NOTE: Under America East guidelines, only the first game on Sunday counts towards the conference standings. The two teams split Saturday's doubleheader with the Black Bears taking the opener 6-0 but the Bearcats getting even with a 5-3 triumph in the finale.