After a promising split doubleheader at home against Marist on March 25, the Binghamton University softball team’s bats struggled this past weekend as America East defending champ Stony Brook, led by reigning America East Pitcher of the Year, junior Alyssa Struzenberg, swept Binghamton (3-17, 0-3 AE) in a three-game series. Looking to rebound at Siena on Tuesday, the Bearcats’ hitting faltered again as the Saints took both games of the doubleheader, 2-0 and 8-3.
Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader at Stony Brook (19-3, 3-0 AE) was dominated by Struzenberg. She allowed six hits while frustrating the Bearcat batters with nine strikeouts. The Seawolves broke open the game in the bottom of the second inning, scoring four runs on five hits off of Bearcats junior Cyrilla Suker. Stony Brook tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the fifth and another run in the sixth to put the mercy rule in effect with an 8-0 score. Despite the loss, Bearcats senior Michelle Olivieri had a strong performance, going 3-for-3 at the plate with three singles.
The second game of the doubleheader looked promising for the Bearcats, as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first with a two RBI double from sophomore catcher Deannie Plemon.
But Stony Brook quickly tied the game at two in the bottom of the first, and broke it open with a seven-run third inning featuring two three-run home runs, one from senior Marissa Fleury off of sophomore Nicole Constantatos, and another from junior Vicky Kavitsky, this time off of freshman Kristen Emerling who came in relief for Constantatos.
The Seawolves tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the fourth, and the mercy rule was called in the bottom of the fifth inning with a final score of 13-2. Plemon led the way for the Bearcats with the two RBI and two hits. Senior Shannon McLeese also had two hits and a run for Binghamton.
The final game of the series was to be held on Sunday afternoon, but the game was pushed back to Monday after a rainout.
Struzenberg got the call again for the Seawolves, and she was dominant, pitching a one hitter with ten strikeouts. Led by four RBI from junior Kendall Blumenthal and three RBI from Kelsi Fanelli, Stony Brook jumped on Bearcats freshman Meagan Tucker early and never looked back, winning 8-0 in five innings. Junior Stephanie Kolodziejski had the lone hit for the Bearcats with a single in the third inning.
The Bearcats were back in action the very next day up in Loudonville for a double header against Siena.
Game 1 was a pitchers duel. Suker was brilliant for the Bearcats, pitching a complete game while allowing only two runs on six hits. But Siena freshman Amanda Filippazzo was just a little bit better. Filippazzo pitched a complete game one-hitter, making it the second game in a row that the Bearcats managed only one hit. Tucker recorded the lone single in the second inning.
Binghamton got off to a quick start in Game 2, as sophomore Kelly Schuldt drove in the first run of the game off of Saints pitcher sophomore Courtney Brinkman. McLeese scored on a wild pitch to put Binghamton up 2-0. Siena tied it at two in the bottom of the first, but the Bearcats answered back in the top of the second with a homer from Kolodziejski.
However, Siena struck back with two more runs in the bottom of the third inning off of Tucker. Four more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth for Siena put the game out of reach for the Bearcats as they fell by a score of 8-3. Schuldt led the Bearcats with two hits.
Binghamton looks to get off to a good start in April this weekend with a three-game series up in Vermont.
Saturday’s doubleheader begins at 1 p.m and Sunday’s game begins at 11 a.m.