The Binghamton softball team’s 12-game winning streak came to an end on Tuesday. The Bearcats (20-10, 6-0 America East) won the first leg of their doubleheader against Colgate, 8-0, before falling, 7-6, to the Raiders (5-20, 1-5 Patriot League) in game two.
In the first game, the Bearcats jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning after sophomore outfielder Jessica Rutherford tripled two home and scored on an error in the following at bat.
Senior outfielder Sydney Harbaugh, who came into the game with 179 career hits, one shy of tying the program record, knocked in two RBI doubles — one in the fourth inning and one in the fifth — to become Binghamton’s all-time hit leader. She finished the doubleheader 3-for-5, with three RBIs and two runs scored.
Sophomore pitcher Sarah Miller came within three outs of pitching her second no-hitter of the season, finishing game one with a one-hit shutout to improve her record to 11-5. Her recent dominance has been highlighted by the fact that she has now pitched 20 consecutive scoreless innings. BU head coach Michelle Burrell noted that solid defense complemented Miller’s impressive outing and was a contributor to the shutout victory.
“When you throw a game like that, you expect to have good defense behind you,” Burrell said. “[Miller] definitely did.”
The second game played out differently, as the Raiders took a 6-2 lead after four innings. It wasn’t until the top of the fifth that Binghamton got its offense going, scoring four runs to tie the game at six. Senior catcher Lisa Cadogan went 2-for-3 in the contest, contributing an RBI and a run in the Bearcats’ comeback. In response to the Bearcats’ offensive push, the Raiders tacked on a run of their own in the bottom of the fifth to take a 7-6 lead heading into the sixth.
Despite waning daylight, the Bearcats managed to take the lead for the first time, 8-7, in the top of the sixth. Amidst this comeback, the game was called due to darkness, and the score in the last-completed inning was deemed final. The Bearcats surrendered their sixth-inning lead and were forced to accept a 7-6 loss to the Raiders, bringing an end to the their 12-game win streak. Senior pitcher Megan Carnase recorded the win for the Raiders while Binghamton freshman pitcher Allison Pritchard fell to 0-2 on the season.
“We felt good where we were at in that game, gaining momentum and the lead,” Burrell said. “But at the same time, we kind of saw it coming.”
Despite the unfavorable outcome, the Binghamton softball team won’t dwell on the loss.
“We’re not going to hang our heads about it too much,” Burrell said. “But I do think it is something we can learn from.”
Although the Bearcats split the two-game set, the BU offense continued its impressive run. Notable performers in the series include junior shortstop Crysti Eichner, junior outfielder Gabby Bracchi and Rutherford. Both Eichner and Rutherford contributed three RBIs, while Bracchi went 3-for-6 on the day with two RBIs with three runs scored.
Binghamton is set to head to Maine this weekend for a key three-game AE series. The Black Bears sit third in the conference while the Bearcats currently lead the AE.
First pitch of Saturday’s doubleheader is scheduled for Saturday at noon, followed by a single game on Sunday at 11 a.m. from Mike Kessock Field in Orono, Maine.