HARRISONBURG, Va. – Binghamton’s softball team faced tough competition at the James Madison Softball Invitational. The Bearcats battled hard but lost both games on Saturday. They fought against Radford, ultimately falling 10-4 in extra innings. In their second game, they faced James Madison and lost 8-6 with a last-minute walk-off home run.
Freshman Rachel Carey shined during the games, hitting .375 with a home run and two RBI. Bella Farina also made a big impact with a home run, two runs scored, and a team-leading three RBI. Emma Lawson contributed as well, finishing 3-for-7 with three runs scored.
In the first game against Radford, the Bearcats were trailing 3-1. Farina hit a solo home run in the seventh inning, bringing the team back into the game. Later, Brianna Roberts tied it up with an RBI double. However, Radford quickly regained control, scoring seven runs in the eighth inning. Grace Hogie had a key hit that drove in two runs.
Farina scored again in the eighth inning, cutting the gap to 10-4, but that was Binghamton’s final run of the day. The win went to Morgan Cooper, improving her record to 5-4, while junior pitcher Olivia Kennedy took the loss, falling to 3-5.
Against James Madison, Binghamton started strong. Carey’s two-run home run gave them an early 2-0 lead. They went up 3-0 when Farina scored on an RBI single from Rebecca Minnichbach.
However, James Madison responded with five runs in the fifth inning, including a two-run home run by Emily Legzdin. Binghamton didn’t back down. They tied the game in the seventh inning, with Farina getting a crucial bases-loaded walk and Lawson scoring on a sacrifice fly. Minnichbach then connected with another RBI single, making it 6-6.
Unfortunately, the Dukes snatched the win with a two-run homer from Payton List in the bottom of the seventh. Kirsten Fleet earned her fifth win of the season, while Roberts, despite a strong performance with 10 strikeouts, took the loss, bringing her record to 6-2.
For Minnichbach, the two hits and two RBIs marked personal bests. Carey’s home run was her third in just six games. The Bearcats are set to conclude their time at the James Madison Invitational with a game against Fordham on Sunday at 11 a.m.
