With a full slate of action over spring break, Binghamton softball swept Radford and Kent State at the Radford Invitational on March 23 before taking two-out-of-three for a series win against defending conference champion Boston last weekend at the Bearcats Sports Complex. On Thursday, BU split a day-night doubleheader with Syracuse at home.
In the three-game set against Boston, the Bearcat offense consistently put runners on base, posting a collective .333 batting average. The Binghamton pitching staff posted a 0.70 series ERA to stifle the Terriers’ offense in the program’s first ever series win over Boston.
The Bearcats lost the first game of the series 3-2 before taking the second game 4-3.
In the final and deciding game of the series, sophomore pitcher Demi Laney tossed a four-hitter, shutting out the Terriers to lead Binghamton to an 8-0 victory. Laney credited the team’s chemistry for the win.
“We scored first, getting the pressure on them early,” she said. “And we just kept piling it on them.”
It marked Laney’s third shutout of the season and the fifth of her career.
The game remained scoreless through the first three innings, but senior outfielder Jessica Phillips and freshman designated hitter Tiffany McIntosh each drove in runs for Binghamton in the fourth.
“Boston’s pitcher was throwing a really good drop ball, and I think we took some pitches, but with our second at-bat we adjusted, and got some hits in,” Phillips said.
An inning later, with Boston still held scoreless, junior second baseman Jessica Bump and freshman outfielder Sydney Harbaugh each drove in runs with RBI singles to extend the lead to 4-0. BU then put on the finishing touches as both Phillips and freshman catcher Taylor Chaffee got on base with singles in the bottom of the sixth, setting the stage for a three-run homer by freshman pinch hitter Griffin McIver.
“It took us a few innings to get going offensively, but we finished very well today,” Binghamton head coach Michelle Burrell said. “Demi pitched great today, and it’s great to win the series.”
In the three games the Bearcats played at the Radford Invitational, Bump and freshman first baseman Lisa Cadogan each homered twice to lead Binghamton to a 3-0 tournament record.
In the first game against Radford, Bump and Cadogan drove in a combined eight runs, allowing the Bearcats to top the Highlanders 16-6. Senior pitcher Rhoda Marsteller pitched all six innings, striking out three and allowing only seven hits.
Against Kent State in the following game, Laney tossed a shutout, striking out six while surrendering only two hits. Bump scored three runs, and the Bearcats emerged with an 8-0 victory against the Golden Flashes.
To close out the tournament, the Bearcats played Radford again, this time narrowly escaping with a 5-4 win. Bump and Cadogan each homered, and Cadogan drove in three RBI.
After the weekend, Cadogan was named AE Rookie of the Week for the second time this year.
“Lisa continues to do a great job for us at the plate,” Burrell said. “I thought she and Jessica Bump set the tone early on in the games and the rest of our hitters kept up the momentum. We went up to the plate with a lot of confidence this weekend.”
Binghamton’s March 26 doubleheader at George Washington and March 28 home doubleheader against Niagara were postponed due to weather.
On Thursday, the Bearcats were ousted by Syracuse 14-10 in the opening game of a doubleheader but shut out the Orange 8-0 in the nightcap.
Binghamton continued its torrid hitting, posting a .377 team average over the two games.
Senior pitcher Rhoda Marsteller struck out five and scattered four hits to achieve her first shutout of the season. Offensively, freshman catcher Taylor Chaffee brought home a team-best four runs after going 4-for-6 with a home run on the day.
The Bearcats are set to play a three-game conference series against UMBC this weekend. The first pitch of a doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday at the UMBC Softball Stadium, with the final game of the series scheduled for noon on Sunday.