The Maine Black Bears softball team began their final regular season road series on Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York against the Binghamton Bearcats.
In the first game: Maine used a five run third inning and went on for an 8-2 win. The Bears took an early 2-0 lead on a two run triple from Laurine German in the top of the first. Sara Herskowitz responded with an RBI double in the Bearcats bottom of the first, and scored on an RBI groundout from Madison Germano to make it 2-2. Maine then broke it open in that third inning. Maddie Decker hit a solo homer, and then Meghan Royle hit an RBI double to increase the lead to 4-2. Kelby Drews with the bases loaded hit one to center that was misplayed by Binghamton centerfielder Lauren Martinez, allowing three unearned runs to score making it 7-2. Royle finished off the scoring with a solo homer in the fifth.
Emily Reid (4-12) picked up the win in the circle going the full 7.0 innings allowing two runs, three hits, with five walks, and five strikeouts. German had three hits and Royle with two to lead the offense. Rozlyn Price (3-8) took the pitching loss for the Bearcats allowing five runs on eight hits in 6.0 innings. Herskowitz had two hits for Binghamton.
In the second game: Binghamton broke out to a 2-0 lead and held on to pick up the split with a 3-1 win. Makayla Alvarez had the hit that turned out to be the game winner with a two run double to break a scoreless tie in the third inning. Alyssa Derrick got Maine back within a run with an RBI single in the fourth, but Martinez added an RBI groundout in the sixth for an insurance run and end the scoring on the day.
Kyleigh O’Donnell (3-7) took the loss for Maine allowing three runs, four hits, with four walks, and six strikeouts in 6.0 innings. German led the offense again with two hits. Morgan Bienkowski (4-6) got the win in the circle for the hosts going the full 7.0 innings and allowing just one run and four hits. Alvarez had two hits.
Maine is now 11-26, 3-10 in America East. BU is 16-27, 5-12. The finale of the three game series is Sunday at 2 pm.
