Cathedral City, Calif. - In a contest that did not start until 9:51 pm local time, the Pacific Softball team lost a thriller, 8-7 to the Binghamton Bearcats, an NCAA regional participant a year a go as the champions of the America East conference. Pacific mounted a spirited rally in the top of the seventh inning, striking to take an 8-7 lead with two outs, but fell just short as Binghamton rallied for two runs with two out to take a 9-8 win in the nightcap of Day one of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.  

Pacific struck for four in the top of the first inning after Binghamton pitcher Shelby Donhauser issued three-straight one out walks to Molly Bourne, Nicole Zapotoczny and Sydney Lahners. The next hitter, Rachel Sellers, skied a sacrifice fly to put the Tigers on the board 1-0, as Bourne crossed easily ahead of the throw. Gustafson then launched a line drive home run to right center field, giving herself a 4-0 lead before she even threw her first pitch of the contest, putting an exclamation mark on the inning.

In the bottom of the second, Gustafson issued a leadoff walk to Reed before Eichner tripled into the right center field gap, plating the Bearcats first run of the contest and  cutting the Tiger advantage to 4-1. In the bottom of the third, Binghamton rallied to tie the score at 4-4, with a double from Taylor Chaffee the punctuating strike of the inning before Megan Walters (0-2) was called in relief of Gustafson.  

With two down in the fourth,  Melanie Habib homered to left field, giving Pacific a brief 5-4 advantage. In the bottom of the inning, the Bearcats used a two-hit rally to level the scoreline at 5-5.

In the sixth, Lisa Cadogan knocked in a pair with an RBI single up the middle for a 7-5 lead. Undaunted, Pacific struck with two-out in the seventh, refusing to go down quietly. Lahners singled to right field, moving into scoring position on an error ahead of a Sellers single, which scored pinch runner Taylor Brink to cut the advantage to 7-6. After Gustafson singled through the left side, junior Haylee Moran-Rowen tripled into the right center field gap, scoring both Gustafson and pinch-runner Caitlin Reynolds to give Pacific an 8-7 lead.

Walters took the circle for the seventh inning and immediately got a quick out, chasing down Crysti Eichner for an unassisted putout. Tia Smith walked and Allison Pritchard singled. Stephanie Bilec reached on an error as Zapotoczny mishandled a tough grounder, but Gabby Bracchi grounded into a fielder's choice as an out was forced at home, putting Pacific just an out away from victory. Sydney Harbaugh tied the score with a deep infield single to shortstop and Jessica Rutherford singled on a chopper through the left side, sending Binghamton to a walk-off winner early in the desert morning.

Walters pitched valiantly in relief, striking out two batters against just one walk in 4.1 innings pitched. Cara Martin (1-0) picked up the win for Binghamton in relief, finishing the final 3.1 innings pitched.

Pacific will return to action with a 2:30 pm contest against George Washington before an 8:00 pm showdown with New Mexico. Live stats for both contests will be available via PacificTigers.com/livestats and live video will be provided by FloSoftball via a subscription service.

For the latest on the Pacific Softball program, be sure to follow @PacificSoftball on Twitter and Instagram.