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Binghamton University Athletics

AET 25 PREVIEW
Brianna Schermerhorn

Top-Seeded Softball Hosts America East Tournament

| By: David O'Brian (dobrian@binghamton.edu)

Bearcats begin play at 11 a.m. Thursday in second round

STORY LINES
  • Binghamton (33-12, 16-2 AE) is hosting the America East Softball Championship for the sixth time in program history and the first since 2022. The Bearcats were also the home team in 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
  • This marks the third time in program history that the Bearcats will carry the No. 1 seed into the tournament. Binghamton also won the conference regular season title in 2016 and 2017. In 2024, the Bearcats were the co-regular season champions with UAlbany, but the Great Danes held the tie breaker.
  • Binghamton is making its 12th appearance in the America East Softball Championship. The Bearcats won the 2015 title and were third in 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2024.
  • The 33 wins for the Bearcats so far this year ties the third-most victories in program history. In addition, Binghamton's 16 conference wins represents its highest total since joining the America East back in 2022.
  • Binghamton has been ranked in the D1Softball.com Mid-Major Top-25 Poll fours times this season. Currently, the Bearcats are ranked No. 23.
  • As a team, Binghamton led the conference this season in batting (.304), pitching (2.66 ERA) and fielding (.964). The Bearcats have also belted a school-record and conference-best 63 home runs this year.
  • The Bearcats are the first team since Boston University in 2011 to sweep all four America East Major Awards in a single season. Sophomore catcher Elisa Allen (25 HR, 55 RBI) is the Player of the Year, while junior pitcher Brianna Roberts (18-2, 2.08 ERA, 136 Ks) is the Pitcher of the Year. Freshman designated player Rachel Carey (11 HR, 35 RBI) won Rookie of the Year, and Jess Bump repeats as the Coach of the Year. 
  • Allen leads the America East in home runs, RBI, slugging percentage (.880) and OPS (1.309). Roberts is tops in wins, ERA and is second in strikeouts. Junior first baseman Emma Lawson leads the America East with a .377 batting average and ranks second in both RBI (42) and slugging percentage (.645). Graduate student outfielder Lindsey Walter is tied for first in the conference with 36 runs, while fellow graduate student outfielder Brianna Santos ranks second with a .361 batting average.
  • Allen, Lawson, Roberts, Carey, Santos, Walter and junior pitcher Olivia Kennedy have all been named First Team All-Conference by the America East. Sophomore second baseman Maddy Dodig, as well as senior third baseman Sarah Rende, were named to the second team. The nine total all-conference selections represent the most in Binghamton program history.


BEARCATS BY THE NUMBERS

.304
The Bearcats enter the tournament batting a conference-best .304, which is the third-highest single-season team average in program history.

.417
Graduate student outfielder Lindsey Walter has hit .417 in two previous America East tournaments.

.500
In two previous America East tournaments, junior first baseman Emma Lawson has batted .500 with two home runs and 5 RBI.

2
Junior first baseman Emma Lawson has been named the America East Player of the Week twice this season (Feb. 11 & April 8).

2
Binghamton has faced a pair of nationally-ranked opponents this season - then second-ranked Florida and then No. 12 Duke. Both games took place on Feb. 15. 

3
The Bearcats have hit three walk-off home runs in the America East tournament - Taylor Chaffee vs. UMBC in 2014, Jess Rutherford against Stony Brook in 2016 and Alex Musial against Hartford in 2018.

3
Freshman pitcher Savanna McHale has a team-best three saves so far this season.

3
Freshman designated player Rachel Carey has been named the America East Rookie of the Week three times this year (March 12, March 25 & April 8). 

3
Binghamton has hit three grand slams this season - freshman designated player Rachel Carey against Fordham on March 7, sophomore catcher Elisa Allen against Mercer on March 15 and senior third baseman Sarah Rende against Bryant on April 4. All three grand slams came with two outs.

4
Sophomore second baseman Maddy Dodig has finished with three RBI four times this season.

5
Junior pitcher Brianna Roberts has posted five complete-game shutouts so far this year.

6
Binghamton has had a player named the America East Pitcher of the Week six times so far this season - sophomore Delaney Glover on Feb. 12, junior pitcher Brianna Roberts on Feb. 19, March 5,  April 22 & April 29 and junior Olivia Kennedy on April 15.

6
Binghamton is hosting the America East Softball Championship for the sixth time in program history. The Bearcats also held the event in 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2024.

6
Against Fordham on March 7, Binghamton came from six runs down (7-1) to win 8-7. It marked the largest comeback during the Bearcats' 24-year Division I era.

7
Against Colgate on April 29, Binghamton homered a school-record seven times.

7
Sophomore catcher Elisa Allen has seven two-home run games during her career, including six so far this season.

7
Junior pitcher Brianna Roberts has seven games during her career with at least 10 strikeouts

9
The Bearcats have produced nine come-from-behind wins this season. Four of them have come during their final time at bat.

12
Junior pitcher Olivia Kennedy struck out a career-high 12 batters against Radford on March 8.

13
Junior pitcher Brianna Roberts struck out a career-high 13 batters against Bryant on April 4.

11
The Bearcats scored 11 runs against Stony Brook in an America East East tournament elimination game in 2017. That represents the most runs the Bearcats have scored in a conference tournament game.

18
With 18 victories so far this season, junior pitcher Brianna Roberts is tied for second in Binghamton program history. Amanda Schilling recorded 19 wins in 1994.

22
With 22 home runs, sophomore catcher Elisa Allen ranks second all-time in America East program history. 

43-15
Since the start of the 2023 season, Binghamton has gone 43-15 (.722) in America East Conference games.

55
With 55 RBI, sophomore catcher Elisa Allen ranks fourth all-time in America East program history. 

63
Binghamton has belted a program-best 63 home runs so far this season. 

91-48
Since moving into the Bearcats Sports Complex Softball Facility in 2013, Binghamton has gone 91-48 on its home field. This includes a 66-26 mark in America East games.

119-73
Fourth-year head coach Jess Bump has gone 119-73 at her alma mater. She is one of only three coaches in Binghamton program history to win at least 100 games - a feat she accomplished against Mercer on March 15.


 
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