Despite strong efforts from its pitching staff, the Binghamton University softball team lost two heartbreakers in a three-game series over the weekend to Stony Brook, which was led by star sophomore pitcher Alyssa Struzenberg. Struzenberg recorded all three wins, including a no-hitter for the Seawolves.
In the first game of the Saturday doubleheader, the Bearcats (6-29, 1-13 AE) were defeated by the score of 6-0.
Stony Brook (23-16-1, 8-6 AE) opened up scoring in the second inning with a run-scoring single from junior Kelly Oberto and a passed ball that allowed sophomore Casey Jacobs to score.
In the bottom of the inning, seniors Meghan Quinn and Sara Eppolito drew walks for the Bearcats off of Struzenberg, but the Bearcats failed to drive in any runs off the walks.
Stony Brook plated more insurance runs from solo home runs off the bat of junior Marissa Fleury in each of the fifth and seventh innings, while Struzenberg shut the door, allowing just one more walk in the seventh inning to complete the no-hitter.
Junior Jessica Whitaker pitched a complete game in the loss for Binghamton, striking out five.
The second game looked more promising for the Bearcats as they opened up the scoring in the bottom of the third inning off a double by junior Michelle Oliveri which drove in freshman Emily Phillips.
Stony Brook answered in the top of the fourth inning, though, after Bearcats junior Patty Egan walked sophomore Vicki Kavitsky with the bases loaded, tying the game at 1. A ground ball ended the inning without further scoring.
With the game still tied going into the bottom of the sixth, Stony Brook pulled starting pitcher sophomore Casey Jacobs for Struzenberg, who quickly struck out the side.
Unfortunately for the Bearcats, Egan could not keep pace in the seventh, giving up run-scoring singles to senior Ashley Westphal and junior Kelsi Fanelli as Struzenberg yet again retired the Bearcats in order to secure the victory for the Seawolves 3-1.
The Bearcats came out inspired on Sunday. Sophomore pitcher Nicole Constantatos retired the side in order and junior Sandy Meadows opened up the game by legging out an infield single, the first hit against Struzenberg in the series.
Struzenberg looked shaky in the first, throwing a wild pitch and a walk along with the infield single, but quickly settled down, retiring 19 straight Bearcats after the walk.
Constantatos matched Struzenberg for the first six innings though, allowing just three hits and no runs while striking out three.
In the top of the seventh, Constantatos was pulled for Egan with one out and a player on first base. While a similar move was effective for Stony Brook in the second game, it backfired for the Bearcats as Egan surrendered an RBI-double to junior Molly Kestranek and an RBI-single to Fanelli. Those runs proved to be the difference as Stony Brook completed the series sweep with a 2-0 win.
For the weekend, Struzenberg improved her America East-leading wins total to 16 and her leading strikeout total to 180.
The Bearcats are back in action at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Maryland-Baltimore County.