ALBANY, N.Y. – Morgan Petty drove in five runs, powering Albany (16-11, 5-2 AE) to a 5-2, 12-2 sweep over Binghamton (14-16, 1-3 AE) in an America East softball doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at Albany Field. The games marked the first two of three contests that the two teams will play this season, with the final game set for April 27 at the Bearcats Sports Complex.

Petty was one of three Great Danes players to finish the day with multiple RBI. Katie Falotico had 2 RBI in the first game while Maddie Patrella drove in three runs in the nightcap.

The Bearcats were held to just nine hits during the doubleheader. They did, however, get a solo home run from freshman outfielder Sarah Rende in the first game and a two-run homer by senior infielder Alli Richmond in the finale. Rende now leads Binghamton with four home runs this season while Richmond has three homers and a team-best 17 RBI.

In the first game, the Great Danes broke open a 2-2 tie with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Falotico had the key hit with a two-run single.

Binghamton drew a pair of walks to open the top of the seventh inning but left the tying run at the plate when the game ended.

Wendi Hammond improved to 8-6 with the win while sophomore pitcher Allison L'Amoreaux fell to 7-7 with the loss. At the plate, however, L'Amoreaux went 1-for-2 with a double, drew a walk and scored a run.

Freshman outfielder Alayna Harbaugh went 2-for-4 in the first game and stole her conference-best 15th base of the year. She is now batting a team-best .366, which ranks sixth in the America East.

In the second game, the Great Danes blew the game open with seven runs in the bottom of the first inning – five of which were unearned. Petty came up to bat twice during that frame and delivered a RBI single and a two-run single.

Richmond's two-run shot came in the top of the third inning but the Great Danes got one of those runs back in the bottom of the same inning. They then iced the game with four more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Brianna Garrett raised her record to 4-2 with the win while graduate student pitcher Chelsea Howard was tagged with the loss, dropping her record to 5-7.

Binghamton hosts Stony Brook this weekend in a three-game conference series. The two teams are slated to play a noon doubleheader on Saturday followed by a single game at noon on Sunday.

NOTES: Rende's four home runs is tied for fifth in the America East. Richmond's 17 RBI ranks ninth while Harbaugh's .444 on-base percentage ranks third overall.