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Softball Sweeps Saturday Doubleheader from Binghamton
May 5, 2007
VESTAL, N.Y. - The University of Maine softball team swept Saturday's doubleheader over Binghamton by scores of 8-1 and 5-2. The twinbill was held at the East Gym Field in Vestal, N.Y. The Black Bears improved to 24-25 and 9-10 in America East, while Binghamton dipped to 7-32 and 2-16 in the league. Whitney Spangler led the offensive attack for Maine in the first game, as she went 2-for-4 with two runs batted in and a pair of runs scored. Spangler tripled in the game, which came in the fourth inning as the Black Bears plated two runs to extend its advantage to 3-0. Maine exploded for four runs in the next inning to go up 7-1. The inning was highlighted by an RBI single from Spangler, an RBI double by Kate Joseph, an RBI base hit by Marguerite Soule and an RBI single from Melinda Corssino. The Black Bears tacked on a final run in the seventh inning when Tara Vilardo scored on a passed ball the Binghamton catcher. In addition to Spangler's multi-hit game, two other Black Bears had two hits apiece, including Soule and Corssino. Freshman hurler Christine McGivney got the win after she went the distance and scattered no earned runs on just four hits with eight strikeouts. Maine received offensive sparks from Vilardo and Beth Foltz in the second game, as both registered three-hit games. Vilardo came around to score three times, while Foltz crossed home plate once.
After the Black Bears went up 1-0 in the first inning, they exploded for a trio of runs in the second frame. Maine scored a pair of the runs on Binghamton errors, while Ashley Waters drove in the inning's final run with a single bringing home Vilardo.
Sophomore pitcher Jenna Balent picked up the win as she also went seven innings, yielding no earned runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts. Both Balent and McGivney each allowed just one walk in their outings. The Black Bears will conclude the series and the 2007 season on Sunday with the finale at 11 a.m. versus Binghamton. A victory would even Maine's final record at 25-25 on the season. It would mark the fourth time in the last five seasons the Black Bears would post a .500 record or better in a season and the 10th time in school history they would have won at least 25 games in a season. |
