Looking up at the scoreboard and seeing extra innings has not been a welcome sight for the Binghamton University softball team this season.
The three times that Binghamton has reached extra innings this year, the contests have ended in losses for the Bearcats.
This weekend at the UMBC Spring Classic epitomized the Bearcats’ season so far, as they went 0-5 with two extra inning losses despite the continued torrid hitting from senior Sandy Meadows.
The first game of the UMBC Spring Classic against Saint Francis (PA) featured a pitchers’ duel, both on the mound and at the plate. The Bearcats got out to a quick start in the top of the first inning as freshman Meghan Tucker put Binghamton on the scoreboard with a bases-loaded, one-run single. Tucker, who also pitched for the Bearcats, shut down the Red Flash, allowing only one run in five innings.
The score remained tied at 1-1 until the top of the eighth inning when sophomore Nicole Constantatos, who entered the game to relieve Tucker, brought in Meadows on a two-out single to left field to put the Bearcats up 2-1.
However, luck was not on the Bearcats’ side in the bottom of the inning, as Saint Francis scored two runs on outfield errors to take the game 3-2.
The second game of the Saturday doubleheader against Siena was again determined by errors, this time occurring in the sixth inning. Binghamton entered the top of the sixth inning trailing the Saints 2-1. But three infield errors doomed the Bearcats, who allowed three runs off of them.
Siena tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh, and shut down a Bearcats’ rally in the bottom of the inning to hold on 7-2. Meadows and sophomore catcher Deannie Plemon each had three hits for the Bearcats in the loss.
Sunday’s tripleheader started off against Niagara. The Purple Eagles jumped on the Bearcats early, scoring three in the bottom of the first, and four more runs in the bottom of the third inning, forcing junior Cyrilla Suker to come on in relief of Tucker.
Suker pitched admirably for Binghamton, allowing only one run on two hits and six strikeouts in four innings, but the damage was already done as Niagara cruised to the 8-1 victory in six innings. Sophomore Kelly Schuldt scored the only run for the Bearcats, hitting her second home run of the year in the fifth inning.
After falling behind 2-0 in Game 2 against host UMBC, the Bearcats rallied in the top of the third inning. Binghamton strung together five singles in a row, which led to RBIs from Constantatos and Schuldt, and a 3-2 lead.
Again, the Bearcats could not hold the lead for long, and the home team had the last laugh, scoring in the bottom of the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to take the 5-3 victory.
The final game of the weekend was against Robert Morris University. The Colonials got out to a 3-0 lead on Suker, with a run in the top of the second and two runs in the top of the third inning. The Bearcats then responded in the bottom of the fifth.
After a leadoff double from junior Stephanie Kolodziejski, the Bearcats got RBIs off a double from freshman Colleen Whitaker, a sacrifice RBI from senior Michelle Olivieri and a throwing error to tie the game up at three a piece.
The game went all the way into the ninth inning, where Robert Morris was able to manufacture a run off of Suker, who pitched the whole game for the Bearcats. Unfortunately, Binghamton was not able to answer back in the bottom of the inning, losing 4-3.
The Bearcats will try to snap their nine-game losing streak on Wednesday with a doubleheader against Marist College at the East Gym Complex. This is the Bearcats’ first homestand of the season.
Game time is 3 p.m.