If losing only makes winning that much sweeter, then head coach Holly Brown and company are due for a lot of sweetness.

The Binghamton softball team continued to struggle during last weekend’s two non-conference doubleheaders, splitting the series at Fordham with a 9-0 loss and 4-1 win on Friday, before getting swept by Manhattan College 4-3 and 2-1 on Sunday.

“Despite our record, we’ve played well,” Brown said. “Defensively we played well. We just need to put the ball in play more.”

Freshman pitcher Jessica Whitaker was solid in the Bearcats’ lone victory against Fordham, allowing only one run on four hits while stockpiling a career-high eight strikeouts. Whitaker (2-3) capped off her performance by retiring 13 of the final 14 batters she faced.

“Jessica kept her composure and is getting stronger each game,” Brown said. “There’s a lot of learning to pitch at this level and she’s improving every time she’s on the mound.”

Whitaker’s performance is crucial for the success of the Bearcats’ rotation, especially following sophomore Patty Egan’s shoulder injury, which has forced her to take a medical redshirt this season.

At the plate, sophomore catcher Devin Glezen provided a spark for the Bearcats(4-15), with game-tying home runs in three consecutive games.

“I’m really not looking for home runs,” Glezen said. “I’m just shooting to put the ball in play to move runners.”

Glezen’s solo blast in the win against Fordham (12-13) in the top of the fourth inning evened the score at 1-1. After senior second baseman Nicole Vitello drove in a run with a two-out RBI single, the Bearcats added a pair of insurance runs on a throwing error to seal the deal.

“Devin stayed within herself and relied on her mechanics,” Brown said. “She’s been one of our most consistent hitters.”

Glezen’s bat had a flare for the dramatic in the first game at Manhattan (11-9), drilling a two-out, two-run homer to left-center field in the bottom of the seventh with her team trailing 3-1. The Jaspers, however, one-upped the Bearcats in the bottom half of the inning with a two-out RBI single by freshman second baseman Lyndzie Phillips.

Down one run in the nightcap, Glezen pounded out yet another game-tying homer to deep left field in the top of the third. But the bottom of the seventh proved to be Binghamton’s demise again, as Manhattan senior shortstop Kiera Fox singled in the winning run with no outs.

“We’re getting better every step of the way,” Glezen said. “Each game we play is a learning experience [to help] us fix the small tweaks in our game.”

Although the losses were heartbreaking, the Bearcats aren’t dwelling on the negatives. Brown said the main concern for the Bearcats going into America East play remains consistency.

“We haven’t been paying attention to wins or losses,” Brown said. “Our character is getting tougher. Conference play is what it’s all about.”

The Bearcats begin conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Albany. The Great Danes will host a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. followed by the final game of the series Sunday afternoon.