Junior third baseman Alyssa Derrick has hit her share of homeruns for the Maine softball team in her three year career. Derrick may of hit her biggest to this point on Thursday evening. Trailing 3-2 with one on base and two outs in the Bears last at bat, Derrick hit her third homerun in two days on a 3-2 pitch to straight away center to give Maine a 4-3 win over Binghamton in an elimination game of the America East Tournament at Bearcat Sports Complex at Vestal, New York.
The two teams exchanged runs in the first, as Binghamton got an RBI double by Kate Richard, and Maine got an RBI single from Laurine German. Meaghan Royle homered in the third for the Bears, a solo homer to make it 2-1. The Bearcats went back in front in the fifth when Carrie Maniccia laid down a sacrifice bunt for an RBI, and Jessica Rutherford hit an RBI single to make it 3-2. That set it up for Derrick in the bottom of the seventh for the walkoff winner, after German drew a two out walk.
Kyleigh O’Donnell started in the circle for Maine and got a no decision, allowing one earned run, four hits, with no walks, and three strikeouts in 4.2 innings. Annie Kennedy (11-8) earned the win in relief, allowing no runs, two hits, with two strikeouts in 2.1 innings. Chelsea Howard (3-3) took the loss for BU, allowing four earned runs, six hits, with three walks, and one strikeout in 6.2 innings. Binghamton ends their season with a final overall record of 17-25.
Maine, now 22-24, moves on to play Stony Brook Friday at 1:30 pm in another elimination game.
