Binghamton University’s softball team dropped a three-game series over the weekend to the first-place Boston University Terriers in Boston.
In the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, Boston’s April Setterlund (29-17) drew a bases loaded walk, to give Boston a 2-1 lead, which they would hold for the rest of the game.
Reigning America East player of the year Christy Leath opened up the scoring for the Terriers with an RBI single in the first inning off of Bearcats junior Patty Egan.
Binghamton (6-33, 1-17 America East) struck back in the third inning with a double from senior Sara Eppolito, off of junior Terrier pitcher, Cassidi Hardy, which drove in sophomore Shannon McLeese to tie the game at one.
“We put out a good defensive effort and the pitching staff did a nice job keeping a great hitting team off balance,” Egan said.
Binghamton opened the second game on fire, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning from a double by senior Meghan Quinn, which drove in junior Sandy Meadows, and a single by freshman Deannie Plemon which scored McLeese. Boston answered, scoring four runs in the bottom of the inning, capped off by an RBI single from junior Nora Militz off of Bearcats sophomore Nicole Constantatos.
The Bearcats mounted a rally in the top of the third inning with a walk by Eppolito and singles by Quinn and Plemon to load the bases. But Terriers starting pitcher, sophomore Megan Currier ended the threat, striking out Bearcats freshman Kelly Schuldt to close the inning.
Boston added four more insurance runs in the bottom of the third and five more in the during the fourth while holding Binghamton hitless to win the game 13-2 in five innings.
On Sunday, Meadows doubled to open up the final game of the series, and gave the Binghamton another promising start, but like in the first game, Hardy frustrated the Bearcats the rest of the way, allowing only a single by Emily Phillips and three walks after Meadows’ double.
Boston University showed why they were the top team in the conference, spreading out nine runs in four innings against a combined pitching effort from Egan and junior Jessica Whitaker to win the game 9-0 in five innings.
Even with the disappointment of losing a heartbreaker in the first game and two tough losses to end the series, the Bearcats still stay positive.
“It shows that we can play with the best team in the conference and it shows that our pitching and defense are enough to keep that great of a hitting team to only a couple of runs,” Egan said.
“Even though we might not be having the perfect season, we are still having fun and enjoying the last couple of games we have together,” Quinn said.
The Bearcats are back home Wednesday, for a 3 p.m. showdown with Cornell at East Gym Field.