HARRISONBURG, Va. – Binghamton (11-8) went toe-to-toe against stiff competition on the second day of the James Madison Softball Invitational on Saturday at Bank of the James Field at Veterans Memorial Park. The Bearcats forced extra innings against Radford (11-14) before losing 10-4 in eight innings in the opener. They then went to the bottom of the seventh inning against the host Dukes (9-9) before getting edged 8-6 on a two-run, walk-off home run. 

Freshman designated player Rachel Carey continued her impressive weekend by going 3-for-8 (.375) on Saturday with a home run and two RBI. Junior outfielder Bella Farina also homered, scored twice and drove in a team-best three runs while junior first baseman Emma Lawson finished 3-for-7 (.429) and scored a team-high three times.

In the opener against Radford, the Bearcats were down 3-1 when Farina belted a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning. Later in the frame, junior Brianna Roberts deadlocked the game with a pinch-hit RBI double.

The Highlanders, however, retook command of the game with seven runs in the top of the eighth inning. Grace Hogie had the key hit of the frame with a two-run single and later scored a run of her own.

Farina knocked in her second run of the game on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the eighth inning, trimming the deficit to 10-4. Lawson scored on the play. That would be, however, Binghamton's final run of the game.

Morgan Cooper improved to 5-4 with the win while junior pitcher Olivia Kennedy fell to 3-5 with the loss. Prior to the top of the eighth inning - when a runner was placed on second to start the frame - Kennedy had pitched 4.0 scoreless innings in relief.

Against James Madison, the Bearcats took a quick 2-0 lead on a two-run home run by Carey in the top of the first inning. They extended their advantage to 3-0 when Farina scored on an RBI single by sophomore shortstop Rebecca Minnichbach.

The Dukes responded by reeling off five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Lilly Romero doubled home a pair of runs during that frame and later scored on a two-run home run by Emily Legzdin.

Down 6-3 in the top of the fifth inning, the Bearcats struck back to deadlock the game. Farina drew a bases-loaded walk to start the scoring and Lawson scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore catcher Elisa Allen. Minnichbach then tied the game with her second RBI single of the contest.

James Madison, however, won the game on a one-out, two-run home run by Payton List in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Kirsten Fleet raised her record to 5-3 with the win. Taking the loss was Roberts, who went the distance, struck out 10 batters and allowed only six hits. Her record, however, dropped to 6-2.

The two hits and two RBI for Minnichbach against James Madison both represent her career highs. The home run for Carey was her third in the last six games.

Binghamton closes out its stay at the James Madison Invitational with an 11 a.m. game on Sunday against Fordham.