Box Score (PDF): Game 1 | Game 2

VESTAL, N.Y. – The seventh inning proved to be the difference in both games of the doubleheader, as the UMass Lowell softball team (19-12, 7-0 AE) defeated Binghamton (14-20, 3-7 AE), 4-3, in game one, and 3-2, in game two on Saturday to remain undefeated in America East Conference play.
 
Now at 11 victories in a row, this is the longest win streak for the program since 2011.
 
"These were good games, which we knew they would be," said Head Coach Danielle Henderson. "Binghamton has been playing well. The thing is our team wants to win, so they are getting up there no matter what the score is determined to win the game."
 
Six different River Hawks logged two hits on the day, including junior Courtney Cashman (Danvers, Mass.), who had a perfect 1.000 on-base percentage with six walks. Redshirt-junior Casey Harding (Cheshire, Conn.) led the team with two RBI and two runs scored, while sophomore Olivia Labbe (Rochester, Mass.) registered a pair of doubles.
 
The Bearcat offense jumped in front in the first inning of game one thanks to a base-clearing triple by Sarah Benn. The River Hawks would work to chip away at the difference, though, as Harding went head first to beat the throw at the plate on junior Marianne Sparacia's (Spring Hill, Fla.) sacrifice fly in the second before Cashman and sophomore Maria Moccio (Feeding Hills, Mass.) each scored a run in the third to knot the game at 3-3.
 
The pitchers took control in the middle innings, as the teams combined for five runners left on through their next three chances. However, the River Hawks would tally the difference maker in the seventh inning when Labbe started things off with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch and slid by the opposing catcher to score on a sacrifice fly by Moccio.
 
In the Bearcats final trip to the dish, Harding robbed an extra-base hit with an impressive diving catch in center, helping to secure the 4-3 victory.
 
UMass Lowell loaded the bases to open game two, but it was Harding's solo shot that put the team on the board in the top of the second. Capria dealt four perfect innings to keep the River Hawks' slight margin intact until Makayla Alvarez turned on the first pitch of the home half of the fifth and sent it out of the park to knot the score at 1-1.
 
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, the Bearcats scratched across the go-ahead run on a single to left, setting up the River Hawks for another seventh-inning decision. Sophomore Sarah Ratcliffe (Pelham, N.H.) and junior Marianne Sparacia (Spring Hill, Fla.) gave the squad momentum with singles before Labbe forced a 2-2 stalemate with her second two-bagger of the day.
 
After Cashman was intentionally walk to load the bases, senior Sydney Barker (Upland, Calif.) tagged a hard-hit ball to bring in what would be the game-winning run in the form of pinch runner Brianna West (Fairfield, Conn.).   
 
UMass Lowell now leads the all-time series against Binghamton, 11-9 series. The River Hawks and Bearcats will play the series finale tomorrow, Sunday, April 14 at 9 a.m. due to expected inclement weather in the area.