VESTAL, N.Y. (4/3/08) – Deannie Plemon’s two-run homer in the sixth inning lifted the Binghamton softball team to an 8-7 win over Colgate Thursday at the East Gym Field.

 

The Bearcats (4-16) jumped out to a 6-1 lead over the Raiders (3-8), before Colgate rallied to take a 7-6 lead in the sixth inning.

 

Colgate opened the scoring in the first inning, when Kortney Hannah (Vacaville, CA) scored from second base on Whitney Scott’s (Beaverton, OR) RBI single.  Taking advantage of three walks and a hit batter, Binghamton scored four runs in the bottom of the first on just one hit.

 

Emily Phillips walked with the bases loaded to force in the first run, and Kim Cleveland followed with a two-run single.  The final run scored on a pass ball.

 

The Bearcats scored twice more in the second inning again on only one hit for a 6-1 lead.  One run scored on a wild pitch by Colgate starter Lacy Ver Steeg (Elk Grove, CA) and Meghan Quinn walked with the bases loaded.

 

Ver Steeg was replaced by sophomore Jesse McCarrick (Oak Hill, VA) in the second inning with one out.  McCarrick (2-4) worked the final 4.2 innings, allowing three hits, two runs, while striking out three and walking three.

 

Colgate rallied for four runs in the fourth inning on the benefit of two Binghamton fielding errors.  Scott led off the inning reaching on an error, and after stealing second, scored on Amanda Eccleston’s (Roseville, CA) RBI single.  Pinch runner Kimberley Spinks (Bristow, VA) moved to second on Brandy Godfrey’s (Eastman, GA) sacrifice bunt, and after LaPorscha Albert (Lewisville, TX) reached on a single, Godfrey scored on a fielding error.  Later in the inning, Hannah had a two-run double, scoring Albert and Brittany Hanrahan (Frankfort, IL), who had walked.

 

In the sixth inning, Colgate took a 7-6 lead when Hanrahan drilled her first collegiate home run over the right centerfield fence, and Hannah scored on pinch hitter Maddy Shufelt’s (Troy, NY) double to centerfield.

 

Binghamton rallied for the win in the sixth when Piemon hit a two-run shot over the left field fence with one out.

 

Jessica Whitaker went the distance for the Bearcats, allowing nine hits, while striking out four and walking one.

 

Hannah finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Eccleston had a pair of hits and one RBI and Hanrahan was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and one RBI.

 

GAME NOTE: Scott's first inning RBI was the 62nd of her career moving her into a tie for 10th place on the school's all-time list.