The University of Maine softball team needed two wins Sunday in order to claim the America East championship. Maine got one part of that done with a 2-0 win in the first game, but Albany claimed their first title since 2014 with a 6-1 win in the decisive game on the campus of Binghamton University in Vestal, NY.
Alyssa Derrick had both RBI and Erin Bogdonavich fired a complete game with eight strikeouts in the game one win. Derrick broke a scoreless tie with a solo homer in the third. It was Derricks 15th home run of the season, tying her with Sara Jewett who also had 15 in 2000 with the Black Bears. Derrick later added an RBI single in the fifth.
In the decisive game, Maine got a first inning RBI from Maddie Moore to take a 1-0 lead. The game was delayed three hours in the top of the third with rain and lightening in the area.
When the game resumed, it was all Albany. Sarah Petzold singled in a run to make it 1-1. Three batters later, Chelsea Henige launched a long three run homer to right center field to make it 4-1 Great Danes. Albany added a pair on a two run double from Donna Conrad in the seventh to finish off the scoring.
Derrick, Erika Leonard, and Rachel Carlson all had a pair of hits in the final game of the season for the Black Bears. Bogdonavich (7-12) went the final five innings in the circle for Maine in relief and took the loss. Bogdonavich allowed five earned runs, seven hits, two walks, with four strikeouts. Molly Flowers allowed an earned run on two hits in her two innings of work.
Derrick, Carlson, and Meghan Royle all earned America East All-Tournament Honors for their performance in the postseason for the Black Bears, who finishes the season with an overall record of 19-25.
Albany (27-16) will head to Tuscaloosa, Alabama for the NCAA regionals to face the #16 Alabama Crimson Tide on Friday. The double elimination regional also features Minnesota and Louisiana Tech. Alabama is 42-16 on the season.
