Albany, UMass Lowell Advance to Winner's Bracket Final of 2018 #AESB Tourney
VESTAL, N.Y. – Albany and UMass Lowell used big innings to post wins on day two of the 2018 America East Championship Thursday at the Bearcats Softball Complex and advanced to the tournament's winner's bracket final. Maine was also victorious, in exciting fashion, avoiding elimination.
The top-seeded Great Danes scored seven runs in the first two innings, including six in the second, en route to a 9-0 win over fifth-seeded Binghamton in the opener, while the second-seeded River Hawks scored five times in the third on their way to a 5-1 win over third-seeded Stony Brook in the day’s second game. Maine avoided elimination on Alyssa Derrick’s walkoff home run with two outs in the seventh to beat Binghamton, 4-3.
Albany 9, Binghamton 0 (5 innings)
Albany used a six-run sixth inning to down Binghamton and advance to the winner’s bracket final of the 2018 #AESB Championship. After taking a 1-0 lead in the home half of the first, the Great Danes, the regular-season champions, plated six in the second, which included a three-run home run by Kelly Spear. Chelsea Henige added a two-run blast in the fourth and Celeste Verdolivo, the America East Pitcher of the Year, threw five shutout innings while allowing only four hits, no walks and striking out three.
UMass Lowell 5, Stony Brook 1
UMass Lowell scored five times in the third inning, all with two outs, on way to its first ever #AESB tournament win and a date with Albany in Friday’s winner’s bracket final. After Stony Brook took a 1-0 lead in the first, six straight River Hawks reached base with two outs in the third and five scored. Vanessa Cooper delivered a two-run bloop single to left and Maria Moccio capped the rally with a run-scoring single to right. First-team All-Conference pitcher Kaysee Talcik didn’t allow an earned run in a complete game effort. She allowed just three hits, walked none and fanned four.
Maine 4, Binghamton 3
Alyssa Derrick’s walk off home run lifted Maine to a win over Binghamton as the Black Bears avoided elimination. Maine took a 2-1 lead in the third on Meghan Royle’s home run, but the Bearcats scored twice in the fifth to take a 3-2 lead. Stephanie Ragusa scored on a sac bunt and Lauren Martinez came home on Rutherford’s run-scoring single to right. With two outs and a full count, Derrick crushed a fast ball over the right-center field fence, her third home run of the tournament. Annie Kennedy earned her second win in relief throwing 2 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
Albany and UMass Lowell, the tournament’s top two seeds will meet in the winner’s bracket final at 11 a.m. with a spot in the championship round on the line. Stony Brook and Maine will meet in an elimination game at approximately 1:30 p.m. and the winner of that game will face the Albany-UMass Lowell loser at approximately 4:00 p.m. for a spot in the title round.
Visit Championship Central for links to box scores and highlights from Wednesday's game and watch live and live stats links for Thursday's games.
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