After nearly a month on the road, the Binghamton University softball team finally got to enjoy the friendly confines of the East Gym Complex this past Wednesday when it faced off against Marist College for a doubleheader.
Game 1 ended in near storybook fashion as the Bearcats erased a 6-1 deficit in the final innings to win the game 7-6. Game 2 looked to be headed in the same direction, but the Red Foxes thwarted a seventh inning Bearcats rally to hold on 5-4.
The month of March has not been kind to Binghamton this year. After a 2-2 start at the Gael Classic held at Saint Mary’s College (CA) in February, the Bearcats reeled off nine straight losses, four at the Spartan Classic in Norfolk and five games at the UMBC Classic this past weekend.
The Bearcats’ home opener seemed to be headed in the same direction as Marist jumped to a 6-1 lead in the top of the third inning. The Red Foxes put together on a two out rally on Bearcats junior Cyrilla Suker, connecting on back-to-back singles, once with the bases loaded, to bring home four runs in the inning.
But the Bearcats’ bats came alive in the bottom of the fifth, trailing 6-2.
After a walk by sophomore Kelly Schuldt, senior Sandy Meadows, who came into Wednesday’s games with a team leading .442 batting average, singled. Senior Michelle Olivieri reached base after an error by Marist’s senior shortstop Melissa Giordano, which scored Schuldt. Junior Shannon McLeese then singled home two runs to bring the Bearcats within one run.
Binghamton took the lead with a two-out rally of its own in the bottom of the sixth. After freshman Colleen Whitaker struck out and sophomore Steph Deluca lined out to first, freshman Meghan Tucker reached base with a single. Schuldt then connected on her third home run of the year to pull the Bearcats ahead, 7-6.
“I think it’s great, you can only hope your batters hit in the clutch,” said Bearcats head coach Ali Brian regarding the Bearcats hitting performance.
Suker, allowing just two hits after the third inning, shut the door on the Red Foxes with a one-two-three seventh inning for the win.
“The more Cyrilla throws, the better she gets, so I had all the faith and confidence in the world in her,” Brian said regarding Suker’s performance.
The wind was blowing hard out of the East Gym Complex, and it showed in Game 2.
Marist got on the board first in Game 2 with a three-run homer from senior Jessica Green off sophomore Nicole Constantatos.
The Bearcats responded in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single from Constantatos. Constantatos then scored off another error from Green to bring Binghamton within one run.
Marist upped their lead in the top of the fifth inning with a home run from sophomore Jessica Green to bring the score to 5-2.
But the Bearcats had one more rally as the sun started to go down in the bottom of the seventh inning. Tucker led off the inning with a homer to left field. After Schuldt grounded out, Meadows brought the Bearcats back within one with her third home run of the season.
Unfortunately the rally came up short as Marist freshman Caitlin Schell came into the game and proceeded to retire two of the next three batters for the save.
The split brings the Bearcats’ record to 3-11 on the season. Marist moved to a 7-15 record.
The Bearcats open up America East play this Saturday, March 28, when they play a three-game series against SUNY rival Stony Brook University. Saturday is a doubleheader, with the first game starting at noon and the second game directly following the first game. Sunday’s game also begins at noon.