The University of Maine softball team fell behind early but used a five run fourth inning to rally past Albany 7-4 in the opening round of the America East Tournament Thursday afternoon at Binghamton University in Vestal, New York.
A pair of bases loaded walks by Maine starting pitcher Molly Flowers made it 2-0 Albany in the top of the first.
Maine turned the game around in the decisive bottom of the fourth. Alyssa Derrick and Kristen Niland both had RBI singles to tie the game 2-2 before Maddie Decker came up with two runners on and launched a pinch hit three run homer to make it 5-2 Maine.
Maine extended the lead in the bottom of the fifth when Felicia Lennon tripled to score Rachel Carlson and then Lennon would score an unearned run on a throwing error by the Albany second baseman on the same play to make it 7-2 Black Bears.
Maggie Cocks took a bases loaded walk for Albany in the top of the sixth to make it 7-3 and Caitlin Cooper had an RBI single in the seventh to cut it to 7-4 but Maine reliever Erin Bogdonavich recorded a strikeout to end the game.
Flowers (11-10) got the win going 5.2 innings, allowing three runs, two earned, two hits, walking eight and striking out four. Bogdonavich earned her second save going 1.1 innings, allowing one earned run, two hits, and two strikeouts. Freshman Celeste Verdolivo (14-7) took the loss for Albany going five innings, allowing seven runs, six earned, nine hits, one walk and two strikeouts.
Maine (26-19) will now face top seeded and host team Binghamton (34-13) on Friday at 11 a.m. in a winners bracket game. Binghamton defeated Stony Brook in extra innings 7-6 Thursday. Albany (32-17) will now face Stony Brook in the losers bracket on Friday at 1:30 p.m.
ALB 2 0 0 0 0 1 1- 4 4 2
UME 0 0 0 5 2 0 x- 7 9 1
WP- Flowers (11-10) LP- Verdolivo (14-7)
Left on base- Albany 11, Maine 4
