Maine pitcher Ashleigh O’Donnell delivers a pitch during game two of an America East doubleheader against Binghamton on Saturday, April 28, 2018. Photo by Chris Lessner.
The Binghamton Bearcats invaded Kessock Field in Orono Saturday afternoon for a doubleheader to kick off a three game America East softball series, on senior weekend for the Maine Black Bears.
In Saturdays first game, Rozlyn Price pitched a gem and then Binghamton held on late to take a 4-1 win to break a five game losing streak.
Maine took the early lead in the first when Alyssa Derrick got the Bears only hit of the game with an RBI single to make it 1-0. A Kate Richard two run single was the difference, giving the Bearcats a 2-1 lead in the third. Jessica Rutherfords RBI double made it 3-1 in the fifth, and Rutherford later scored an unearned run in the inning on a wild pitch to make it 4-1. Maine forced Price into a pair of walks to begin the bottom of the seventh. Chelsea Howard then came in to relieve Price, and walked her first batter. With the bases loaded and no outs, Howard would strikeout Laurine Germain, Rachel Carlson, and Erika Leonard to end the game and earn her second save of the year.
Price (4-8) went six innings and got the win, allowing just one run, one hit, with four strikeouts. Annie Kennedy (9-5) took the loss in the circle for Maine, allowing four unearned runs, six hits, with six strikeouts in the seven inning effort.
In a wild game two, Maine broke up top early 4-1, before Binghamton used a six run seventh inning to take an 8-4 lead. The Bears however had their own seventh inning magic, scoring five runs in the bottom half to split the doubleheader with a 9-8 win.
Alyssa Derrick hit an RBI single, and Kristen Niland got credit for an RBI on a fielders choice in the first to make it 2-0 Maine. The Bearcats cut the lead to one in the top of the second on a solo homer by Makayla Alvarez. Maine made it 4-1 in the bottom half, when two runs scored on a throwing error by the Binghamton third baseman.
Trailing 4-2, Binghamton put their rally together in the top of the seventh. A Richard two run single and an RBI single by Kassidy Seary highlighted a six run inning to make it 8-4 in favor of the visitors. Then it was Maines turn. Germains two run double made it 8-6 in the bottom half, and an RBI groundout by Derrick made it 8-7. With the bases loaded and two outs, Amanda Nee on a 3-2 pitch would reach on an error by the Bearcats first baseman, which would also allow pinch runners Maddie Kimble and Hailey Perry who were running on the pitch to come across the plate for the Black Bear walkoff win.
Rayn Gibson started in the circle for Binghamton, allowing three earned runs, two hits, six walks, and five strikeouts over 6.0 innings. Makenzie Goluba (0-1) was the tough luck loser in relief, allowing three earned runs, and three hits over 0.2 innings. Kyleigh O’Donnell started for Maine, allowing six earned runs, eight hits, two walks, and three strikeouts over 6.1 innings. Molly Flowers (3-6) ended up with the win, allowing two runs, two hits, with a walk in 0.2 innings. Maine is now 19-20, 8-4 America East.
Binghamton drops to 12-22, 5-8 and will battle Maine again in the rubber game of the three game set Sunday at 11 am.
