Molly Flowers pitched a complete game and Meghan Royle hit what proved to be the game winning homerun as the Maine softball team topped Binghamton 2-1 Friday afternoon in the America East Tournament in Vestal, New York, the home field of the Bearcats.
Maine had lost to the Bearcats all three times on the same field earlier in the season by a combined score of 21-6. But the Black Bears were able to prevail and will face Albany Saturday at noon in the title round. Maine will have to defeat Albany twice in order to win their fourth America East title. That second game would be Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Maine is also 0-3 against Albany this season, including an 8-2 loss in the tournament.
Alyssa Derrick got Maine on the board first on Friday with a first inning RBI double to make it 1-0 in the top of the first. Binghamton would immediately respond as Kate Richard would make it 1-1 in the bottom half of the frame with an RBI single.
Royle then crushed a solo homer in the top of the third over the left field fence, to give Maine all they needed for runs. It was the fourth homer of the season for Royle. Flowers walked six but struckout five in her seven inning effort. Binghamton outhit Maine 7-3, but the Bearcats stranded 13 runners on base.
