In its first ever NCAA Division I Tournament appearance, the Binghamton softball team was defeated, 9-1, to 15th-seeded James Madison on Friday. The game ended after 4 2/3 innings of play after the Bearcats (24-20, 10-6 America East), fell behind by eight runs, enacting the mercy rule.

The Bearcats, led by freshman pitcher Sarah Miller, hung right with the highly rated Dukes (48-9, 9-0 Colonial Athletic) to open the game. Miller held JMU – who entered the contest ranked ninth overall at the NCAA DI level with a .350 team batting averaging – to just three hits through the first three innings of play.

The Dukes’ lone run during that time frame came in the second, when JMU sophomore outfielder Taylor Newton led off the inning with a single. After a sacrifice bunt and another single, the Dukes had runners on the corners with two outs. JMU then executed a double-steal, which saw Newton score off of a swipe of home. The score would remain 1-0 until the top of the fourth, when Bearcats junior catcher Lisa Cadogan tied the contest with a solo homer over the right centerfield fence.

That’s when the wheels fell off for Binghamton; after an hour and 24 minute rain delay, the powerful JMU offense struck. The Dukes recorded 11 hits and eight runs over the next 1 2/3 innings to capture the 9-1 win.

The Bearcat offense was stifled all game by JMU freshman pitcher Megan Good. Good, who currently ranks fifth in the NCAA with a 1.00 ERA while compiling a 28-2 record during the regular season, held BU to just three hits and the lone run in the contest.

Binghamton is set to return to action today in an elimination game against Fordham. The Bearcats and Rams previously met this season at the NC State Tournament in March, with Fordham coming out with a 6-4 victory. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 5p.m. from Veterans Memorial Park in Harrisonburg, Virginia.