Box Score (PDF): Game 1 | Game 2

LOWELL, Mass. – Junior Sydney Barker (Upland, Calif.) batted .500 (3-6) with her first home run of the season to help lead the UMass Lowell softball team (14-22, 8-2 AE) to a 2-0 day against America East foe Binghamton (11-19, 4-6 AE) on Saturday.
 
The River Hawks defeated the Bearcats, 3-2, in game one before taking a 2-0 decision in game two. Freshman Lovina Capria (Deltona, Fla.) tallied 10 strikeouts in game one, while junior Kaysee Talcik (Shelton, Conn.) tied a season-high with nine in her first shutout of the year in game two.
 
"I thought we played great," said Head Coach Danielle Henderson. "Our defense did a great job, and we were able to put the ball in play and get a lot of runners on. I thought our pitchers did well, as well, and I hope we continue with that tomorrow."
 
Redshirt-sophomore Casey Harding (Cheshire, Conn.) and senior Vanessa Cooper (Pleasant Gap, Pa.) added to the offense with three and two hits, respectively. In addition, Cooper led the squad with two RBI.
 
The River Hawks showed off their glove work in the top of the first in game one, using a double play and a diving grab by sophomore Courtney Cashman (Danvers, Mass.) to keep the Bearcats off the board. The home squad would break open the scoring in the second thanks to a solo home run by Barker.
 
UMass Lowell threatened in its next two at-bats, putting two runners on in each of the third and fourth innings, although the score remained 1-0. Binghamton plated the tying run in the top of the fifth on a RBI single to center by Jessica Rutherford.
 
The River Hawks were quick to retaliate in the bottom of the inning, though, when they loaded the bases for Cooper, who ripped a two-out, two-RBI single up the middle to put her squad on top, 3-1. The visitors were able to cut into the difference, making the score 3-2 in the top of the sixth, but Capria and the UMass Lowell defense kept the Bearcats off the board in the seventh to hold on for the 3-2 victory.
 
The home team jumped in front in their first trip to the plate in game two, tallying a pair of unearned runs on ball hit hard and high to center by Barker. Talcik was commanding in the circle, hurling three and two thirds hitless innings to keep the River Hawks' lead intact.
 
The Bearcats recorded their first hit of the game in the top of the fourth and stranded two runners on base in the fifth, but were unable to scratch a run across. Both sides went three-up and three-down in the sixth before Talcik retired Binghamton in order in the seventh to earn the 2-0 shutout.
 
The River Hawks and the Bearcats will wrap up the series with a single game tomorrow, Sunday, April 22, beginning at 12 p.m.