The Stony Brook softball team played Binghamton on Friday, whom the Seawolves recently swept the previous weekend, in day three of the America East Tournament. However, Binghamton exacted revenge, defeating Stony Brook 11-4, eliminating them from postseason play.
The Bearcats scored the most runs in an America East Tournament game since Stony Brook scored 16 runs in a game back in 2014. Junior first baseman Jillian Bovitt did the most damage in the double-digit barrage. The junior had three RBIs, two of which came on a double in the bottom of the fifth inning that broke the game open, giving the Bearcats a 6-2 lead.
Bovitt’s double was the beginning of a two-inning stretch in which Binghamton scored seven runs on just three hits. Stony Brook freshman starting pitcher Melissa Rahrich struggled with her command after pitching 14.2 innings over the previous two days. Rahrich surrendered six walks, hit three batters and allowed seven runs in her worst start since early March.
It was clear she didn’t have the control that she had on Wednesday. It did not get any better when Rahrich was pulled in favor of sophomore pitcher Lindsey Hughes – the sophomore issued two walks of her own in her brief two-thirds of an inning.
Despite surrendering 11 runs, Stony Brook was the first to strike in the game. Freshman left fielder Jourdin Hering kickstarted the game with a leadoff home run during the first at-bat of the game. Junior second baseman Chelsea Evans added an RBI single to center field to give her team a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
However, the wheels came off in the fifth inning. Working her eighteenth inning in just three days, fatigue began to set in for Rahrich, who would allow the two-out double to Bovitt, making the score 6-2.
Freshman designated player Taylor Pechin, on the heels of her three-run home run yesterday, was again starting as the designated player. She drove a two-run opposite-field home run in the sixth inning, cutting the Bearcats’ lead down to 6-4. The freshman, who only had five RBIs during the regular season in her limited appearances, matched that total in just two swings during the America East Tournament.
Binghamton freshman starting pitcher Rayn Gibson tossed a complete game, allowing just three earned runs and one unearned run. Her offense did the rest. Three different Binghamton players, senior right fielder Bridget Hunt, senior shortstop Crysti Eichner and Bovitt all had multi-RBI games in the offensive outburst.
Stony Brook finished the season with an 18-29 overall record. Rahrich established herself in the conference with a 12-10 record and top five ERA and cemented herself as the team’s ace for the future.
Maine then eliminated Binghamton in the subsequent game and will play Albany for the America East Championship on Saturday.
