With only one series left to play in the regular season, the Binghamton University softball team is looking to finish with a strong weekend against Boston University and carry its momentum into the team’s first-ever America East tournament.
Since April 19, the Bearcats (21-19, 9-5 America East) have gone 4-7, including a four-game losing streak that came prior to their latest win against Stony Brook University this past Sunday. With that win, the Bearcats clinched their first-ever berth in the America East tournament which is set to begin on May 12 and hosted by the No. 1 seed.
Last weekend, the Bearcats narrowly avoided being the victims of a three-game sweep at Stony Brook, thanks to their explosive offense and solid relief pitching.
In Game 1 of the series, Binghamton lost 3-0 as Stony Brook pitcher Colleen Matthes threw a complete game shutout, holding the Bearcats to just three hits while striking out nine. Binghamton left runners on base in six innings and were unable to muster a rally against Matthes. Junior Kristen Emerling (7-6) also went the distance, allowing three runs on six hits over six innings for the Bearcats.
In Game 2, Colleen Matthes delivered for the Seawolves again, throwing another complete game while only surrendering two hits. The Bearcats’ only run in the 6-1 loss came when junior Meghan Tucker came home on a sac fly by freshman pinch hitter Demi Laney.
The final game of the series saw Binghamton’s bats finally come to life, as the team battled back from a six-run deficit after an explosive first inning by Stony Brook. The big hit came in the top of the fourth, when Laney smacked a grand slam to tie the game at six. What proved to be the winning run came in the top of the eighth on an RBI single by freshman Mikala King, putting Binghamton ahead 9-8. Sophomore Kate Price — who relieved sophomore starter Rhoda Marsteller after a disastrous first inning — and Laney combined to allow only two runs on six hits over the remaining 7.1 innings.
With almost an entire regular season under their belt, the Bearcats continue to statistically lead the conference, with the America East’s best hitter in sophomore Jessica Phillips and pitcher in Price.
Phillips, who has been previously named America East Player of the Week, now boasts an impressive .459 batting average, with 13 home runs and 40 RBI. She’s first in the conference in batting average and home runs and second only to senior teammate Deannie Plemon in RBI.
Price continues to shine in her relief role with a 1.71 ERA and 50 strikeouts coupled with only 13 earned runs in 53.1 innings.
Plemon, the program’s all-time leader with 32 career home runs and 118 RBI, is having a solid offensive season with a .279 average, 10 home runs and a conference-leading 41 RBI.
Kristen Emerling is also having a solid year on the mound with a record of 7-6, a 2.89 ERA and seven complete games.
In past seasons the Bearcats have always struggled against upcoming first-place opponent Boston. Binghamton has never won a series against Boston, with the Terriers sweeping the Bearcats in five of Binghamton’s nine Division I seasons. Most recently, the Terriers are coming off a three-game sweep of University at Albany, beating them 7-2 in the first game, 6-4 in the second game and 7-0 in the final game. Boston’s 1-2-3 punch of pitchers Holli Floetker, Erin Schuppert and Whitney Tuthill each threw a complete game in the series, surrendering a combined six runs and fourteen hits while fanning 12 and walking four.
Boston’s team leaders in hitting include April Setterlund, whose .417 average is ranked right behind Binghamton’s Phillips in the conference. Setterlund also boasts 38 hits, eight of which are home runs, as well as 35 RBI and only 12 strikeouts in 115 at-bats. Also, Boston’s Jayme Mask holds a .351 average, 47 hits and seven RBI. Floetker is Boston’s No. 1 starter, totaling an 11-3 record with 89 strikeouts and a 1.93 ERA in 98 innings of work.
A Binghamton sweep of the first-place Terriers and two Albany losses to Stony Brook would award the Bearcats the top seed in the America East tournament.
Binghamton is set to open its home series against Boston with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. tomorrow, with the series finale scheduled at noon on Sunday.