VESTAL, N.Y. – The Binghamton softball team (14-24, 13-5 America East) clinched the No. 2 seed for the 2026 Northeast Delta Dental America East Softball Championship Friday after defeating UMass Lowell (24-23, 11-8 America East) 6-2 at the Bearcats Softball Complex.
First baseman
Emma Lawson hit two home runs to drive in four runs for Binghamton, becoming the 10th player in program history to reach 100 career runs batted in.
Rachel Carey and
Rebecca Minnichbach each added one RBI, and Akria Kopec scored two runs.
Olivia Kennedy, meanwhile, tossed a complete game by striking out four batters and allowing two runs to pick up her fourth win of the season in the circle.
After two scoreless innings to start the game, UMass Lowell jumped ahead in the top of third when Elizabeth Neeld singled in Avery Spinello-Branch from second to give the River Hawks a 1-0 lead. The Bearcats would respond in the bottom of the fourth, however.
Darien McDonough began the inning with a leadoff double hit to left field.
Maddy Dodig then hustled for an infield single to bring up Lawson. Facing a full count, the senior drove a pitch to deep center field. Thyanais Santiago reached up for the ball, but was unable to come away with it. Lawson's three-run homer, which put her over 100 RBI's for her career, gave Binghamton a 3-1 lead. But the Bearcats were not finished for the inning.
After
Megan Wolf walked with one out, Kopec hit a double to put runners on second and third for Minnichbach. The shortstop brought home Wolf with a fly ball to center field, while also advancing Kopec to third. Carey then hit a double that reached the wall in center field to score Kopec and extend Binghamton's lead to 5-1.
UMass Lowell would get a run back in the top of the fifth after an RBI single from Caroline Calkins scored Julia Rowley. But Lawson countered that with her second trip around the bases for the day after she hit another home run over the wall in center field.
With a four-run lead, Kennedy proceeded to throw three of her strikeouts in the final two innings. UMass Lowell would load the bases with two outs in the top of the seventh to bring the tying run, pinch hitter Kate Hardy to the plate. But Kennedy would force Hardy to hit into a fielder's choice to end the game.
Binghamton closes out its regular season with a doubleheader against UMass Lowell Saturday at the Bearcats Softball Complex. The first game starts at 11 a.m., with the second contest to follow afterwards. At 10:38 a.m., the Bearcats will honor the members of their senior class on the field as part of Senior Day.
United Health Services (UHS) is the presenting sponsor of Bearcats Softball.
