After being dormant for three straight weeks due to rainouts, the Binghamton softball team returned to action with a flurry of contests over spring break.
During a stretch of seven games against three different opponents, the Bearcat (12-13, 3-2 America East) bats sprung to life in conference play. Binghamton was shutout in its first two America East games in 2015, but plated a combined 31 runs over its next three conference games to capture three consecutive victories. The Bearcats also dropped a doubleheader in a non-conference matchup with Bucknell.
In their first action on the diamond in 20 days, the Bearcats were stifled by Stony Brook’s pitching staff. The combination of Seawolves junior Jane Sullen and the 2014 America East Pitcher of The Year in senior Allison Cukrov held BU to eight hits and no runs over two games, resulting in 15-0 and 3-0 Stony Brook (16-12, 5-1 AE) victories.
“We had a rough go trying to get [the season] started with the weather,” BU head coach Michelle Burrell said. “We started with Stony Brook after not playing for three weeks. I thought we came out on Saturday in those two games and I just kind of felt like we were rusty.”
But BU’s offense exploded in game three. Led by three hits and six RBIs from junior catcher Lisa Cadogan and two hits along with three runs from junior outfielder Sydney Harbaugh, the Bearcats pounded the pitchers who shut them down the previous day. Sullen and Cukrov allowed a combined 13 hits and 11 earned runs as Binghamton captured a 13-7 victory, its first AE win of the season.
“I think it is so important that we were able to take that one game [against Stony Brook],” Burrell said. “I was glad to see the girls respond and not get too down after the day we had on Saturday. They put things back together and overall had a really good team effort.”
Binghamton continued to carry its hot offense into its doubleheader with Hartford two days later. The Bearcats received surprise offensive performances from freshman infielder Tia Smith, who finished the doubleheader with four hits and five RBIs, and sophomore infielder Crysti Eichner, who drove in five runs. Behind those two, BU thoroughly dominated the Hawks (2-30, 0-8 AE), securing 10-2 and 8-0 wins.
“The girls went in there [against Hartford] with a good approach and stayed focused,” Burrell said. “They were focused from the first inning throughout the end of the game. I think we took it one pitch at a time and had good results because of it.”
However, BU’s offense was stymied in a non-conference doubleheader against Bucknell (22-17, 1-5 Patriot League) on Saturday. The Bearcats scored just two runs over two games, falling, 5-1 and 2-1, to drop their record below .500.
Binghamton’s offense has been paced all season by Cadogan and Harbaugh, the 2014 AE Player of the Year. Cadogan leads the conference in doubles, with nine, as well as on-base percentage, with a .561 clip. She also sits in second in the conference in batting average (.438), slugging percentage (.859), RBIs (28) and home runs (6). Harbaugh is first in the AE with 31 runs scored, third in RBIs with 22 and fourth in batting average (.378) as well as on-base percentage (.500).
“We have kind of been looking for some leadership out of our junior class,” Burrell said. “The way [Cadogan and Harbaugh] have stepped up has definitely helped our team. Both of them have continued to be really consistent and I think that has helped the entire team.”
BU is set to return to action Tuesday with an AE doubleheader against UMass Lowell. First pitch is set for Tuesday at noon from the Softball Complex with a second game beginning shortly after.