Softball

Top Two Seeds Take Care of Business on Day 2 of #AESB Championship

VESTAL, N.Y.  – Host No. 1 Binghamton needed extra innings to advance in the winner’s bracket while No. 2 UMBC blasted their way to victory on the second day of the #AESB Championship. No. 4 Bryant staved off elimination with a 5-1 victory over No. 6 Maine in the final contest of the day.
 
A pitcher’s duel through seven innings, No. 4 Bryant took a 1-0 lead in the 8th but No. 1 Binghamton answered in the bottom of the frame and the Akria Kopec walked it off with a two-run shot. No. 2 UMBC plated six runs in the second inning and then four more on a grand slam by Haley Luginbill in the sixth to take down UAlbany 12-2. In the finale Meaghan Houk blew open the game with a grand slam in the 5th as the Bulldogs won 5-1.
 
The third day of the championship is scheduled to being at 11 a.m. on Thursday as top seed Binghamton faces No. 2 seed UMBC at 11 a.m., followed by No. 3 UAlbany against No. 4 Bryant at 1:30 p.m. The losers from the first two games will play at 4:00 p.m. Any delays due to weather for tomorrow's games will be announced on AmericaEast.com as well as Instagram tomorrow.
 
No. 1 Binghamton 3, No. 4 Bryant 1 (9 inn.)
  • It was a pitcher’s duel throughout the first five innings.
  • Binghamton loaded the bases after running out a ground ball in the 6th, but Bryant got out of the jam to end the threat and keep it scoreless.
  • In the top of the 8th Meaghan Houk had a solo home run to open up the scoring, 1-0.
  • Elisa Allen returned the favor with a solo shot over center field to tie the game up at 1-1 in the bottom of the eighth in the bottom of the frame
  • An inning later with a runner in scoring position, Akira Kopec stepped up to the plate & hit a game-winning home run over the left field line. Binghamton won 3-1 in the bottom of the ninth to advance
  • Brianna Roberts earned the win with 9.0 innings, four hits, one run and ten strikeouts.
  • Lexi Powell was impressive in the loss, as she held Binghamton scoreless over the first seven innings for the first time in two months. Overal she went 8.1 innings, allowing three runs, 10 hits and striking out a batter.
 
No. 2 UMBC 12,  No. 3 UAlbany 2
  • The Great Danes jumped on Kya Matter with two runs in the top of the first inning, including a steal of home before Matter ended the threat with a strikeout.
  • UMBC countered with one run in the bottom of the frame and then exploded for six runs in the bottom of the second.
  • Haley Luginbill drove in the second run and then came all around to single home the sixth run of the inning.
  • Luginbill ended the scoring with a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth for the ten-run margin.
  • Kya Matter went 5.0 innings with four hits, two earned runs and six strikeouts.
  • Luginbill finished 3-for-3 with six RBI, tying the league record for RBI in a single game which was sent back in 2003 by Jennifer Shields of BU.
 
No. 4 Bryant 5, No. 6 Maine 1
  • The Black Bears jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a Gabby Papushka RBI double.
  • The score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the fifth inning. Makenna Coleman put the Bulldogs on the board with a sacrifice fly.
  • Two batters later Meaghan Houk ripped a three-run homer for the 4-1 lead.
  • Bryce Clendenin finished off the scoring for Bryant with a home run in the sixth.
  • Maddy Wachter earned the win for Bryant, going 6.0 innings and allowing just a single hit with one earned run and three strikeouts.
  • Houk was one of three players with two hits, along with three RBI.
 
Visit Championship Central for complete streaming and live stats links as well as box scores, highlights and recaps following each round in addition to team information, tournament history and more.
 
ABOUT AMERICA EAST
Founded in 1979, the America East Conference is an elite NCAA Division I athletic conference that fosters an environment for student-athletes to become champions. Comprised of academically renowned, like-minded member institutions located in the Northeast region of the United States, America East is committed to broad-based excellence and progressive in its approach to supporting its more than 3,500 student-athletes across 18 sponsored sports. For more information, visit www.AmericaEast.com and follow the America East Conference and its social media channels, @AmericaEast. 

- America East Conference – Where Champions Rise -