GAME #1 - BOX SCORE
GAME #2 - BOX SCORE

VESTAL, N.Y. – The University of Hartford softball team suffered a pair of single-run losses to the Binghamton Bearcats on Saturday afternoon. The Bearcats and Hawks went nine innings in game one to decide the winner in a 5-4 final and Binghamton took game two by an 8-7 decision. Hartford drops to 4-23, 0-5 in the America East while the Bearcats improve to 4-19 with a 2-3 mark in league play.

Hartford grabbed an early lead in the opening game of the series, and held on for five and a half innings only to see the Bearcats tie things up in the bottom of the sixth.

The Hawks plated three runs in their first at-bats, with all of the damage being down with two down in the opening frame. Hartford's line-up was nearly put down in order but junior Kate Wacyk put the first runner on base for the Hawks on a heads up play on a third strike call. After reaching base on a passed ball, classmate Jordan Haines worked Binghamton hurler Kristen Emerling for a walk before sophomore Chelsey Mooney quickly made it 3-0 with the first home run of her collegiate career.

Hartford scored again in the top of the second, with a Binghamton miscue in the infield with two outs allowing Amber Andrews, who reached on a fielder's choice, to extend the lead to 4-0.

Binghamton responded with its first run in the bottom of the third and after being held off the scoreboard for two more innings, it knotted up the score with three in the bottom of the sixth frame.

The middle of the line-up did most of the damage for the Bearcats in the sixth as Chelsea Horne singled to start off the frame and Colleen Dougherty, who pinch-ran for the designated player, scored when Linda Verduzco homered to left center field. One batter later, Andrews made it back-to-back for the Bearcats when she slammed a home run to make it an even game at 4-4.

Senior Siera Sheehan, who earned the start in game one, threw for 5.1 innings and allowed Binghamton's first four runs, which prompted a pitching change that brought Kaitlyn Meade to take over. Meade kept the Bearcats at bay until allowing her first hit of the afternoon in the bottom of the ninth, an RBI double off the bat of Horne which plated Bump for the game winning.

Peyton Fisher got the bats going for the Hawks in game two when she singled with two down and none on in the top of the second. She then got an easy ride to home plate as Melani Maxwell poked a homer to left field to provide Hartford with the early 2-0 advantage.

Binghamton responded in its next at-bats, exploding for five runs to gain its first lead in the second inning. After notching a triple to lead off the frame, Jessica Bump easily crossed home plate on a two-bagger by Verduzco. The Bearcats got another notch on the scoreboard when Dougherty, who pinch-ran for Verduzco, grabbed two bases on a wild pitch.

With two down and runners on first and second, Phillips plated runs number three, four and five for the Bearcats on a three-run shot to push her team's lead to 5-2.

Hartford got two of those runs back and made it a one-run ballgame in the next inning. Erica Phelps walked to start the frame, and Andrews followed suit with a single in the next at-bat. Following a double steal, Shannon Simpkins plated both runners with a hard single to left field to make it a 5-4 game.

In the bottom of the third, Hartford made a pitching change to start the frame that saw Eve Clausen relieve Meade, and Binghamton was quick to jump on the rookie pitcher as Chelsey Locatell knocked one out of the wall of center field to double her team's lead 6-4. Meade quickly regained control inside of the circle and settled down from there, allowing just a pair of hits in the next three innings.

Hartford got to work and clawed back in the top of the sixth inning, scoring three runs to regain a one-run advantage. After Fisher was induced to a fly out, Maxwell walked, and moved to second when Phelps earned a walk with two outs recorded. Andrews' third hit of the afternoon was a two-bagger which allowed Maxwell to score from second base.

Following a Binghamton pitching change, Simpkins tied it up for the Hawks with an RBI single to first base and Wacyk kept the rally going as her outfield single plated Andrews from the hot corner and provided Hartford with the 7-6 lead.

Unfortunately for Hartford, Binghamton quickly got two of those runs back in the bottom of the sixth with a two run homer by Horne, scoring King who starting things off with an infield single.

The Hawks finished with 10 hits in game two, led by Simpkins (3-for-4), and Fisher, Maxwell and Andrews each enjoying multi-hit outings. Simpkins joined Maxwell with three RBIs. Clausen suffered the loss in the second outing.

The Hawks and Bearcats wrap up their three-game series on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.