Agape Freedom Sports LLC

By: Jeric Yurkanin

Columbia– Binghamton Bearcats just walked into Columbia, South Carolina and dropped an early-season statement that nobody can ignore. The Bearcats took down Syracuse 5–1 on Friday morning at Carolina Softball Stadium, and if you weren’t paying attention before, you are now. This wasn’t some weird “anything can happen” game — this was Binghamton playing poised, aggressive, winning softball from the jump and never letting go of the wheel.

After a scoreless first, the Bearcats struck first in the second inning and immediately put Syracuse on its heels. Rachel Carey set the tone, speed and pressure followed, and Maddy Dodig delivered the kind of big swing that flips momentum early in a season — an RBI double that cashed in the first run and told everyone exactly what kind of day this was going to be.

Then the third inning hit like a storm. Binghamton loaded things up, stayed patient, forced Syracuse to make plays, and when the moment called for a clutch swing, Akira Kopec answered with ice in her veins — a two-run single that blew the game open and pushed the lead to 4–0. That inning was the difference. It wasn’t just runs — it was the message: we’re not here to hang around, we’re here to win.

Syracuse finally scratched one across in the sixth, but there was no real opening. Every time the Orange tried to breathe, Brianna Roberts took it away. The Bearcats’ right-hander was in full control for seven innings, scattering four hits, punching out eight, and working out of trouble with the kind of calm you usually only see from veteran aces.

And just in case there was any doubt left, Kopec ended it with one last exclamation point. Leading off the seventh, she launched a solo homer to left field — the kind of swing that doesn’t just add insurance, it ends conversations. She finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs, and between the two-run knock in the third and the bomb in the seventh, she authored the biggest moments of the upset.

Final score: Binghamton 5, Syracuse 1. Nine hits, relentless pressure, a complete-game win in the circle, and a signature upset to open the year. If opening weekend is about announcing who you are, the Bearcats just made it loud and clear — they’re not waiting for respect anymore.

Game 2 on Friday:

Binghamton wrapped up a demanding opening day in Columbia with a tough 4–1 loss to Virginia Tech Hokies, but the scoreboard didn’t tell the full story — especially when it came to a moment that mattered deeply back home in NEPA. Against a ranked opponent with power throughout the lineup, the Bearcats competed pitch by pitch, and one of the biggest takeaways came from the circle.

Virginia Tech struck first with a solo homer in the opening inning, but Binghamton answered immediately. Darien McDonough got on base, Emma Lawson delivered a clutch double, and aggressive baserunning brought the Bearcats level in the bottom of the first. It was the kind of response that showed Binghamton wasn’t backing down after its earlier upset win — they were ready to fight again.

The Hokies gradually pulled away with timely extra-base hits in the fourth and fifth innings, capitalizing on limited openings and making the most of their chances. Binghamton stayed scrappy, putting runners on and forcing Virginia Tech to work for every out, but couldn’t find the big hit needed to swing momentum back the other way.

What stood out most came late, when Valley View graduate Taylor Cawley stepped into the circle for her collegiate debut. Calm, composed, and fearless, the freshman right-hander retired hitters with confidence, tossing two scoreless innings and showing exactly why she was trusted in that moment. No panic. No intimidation. Just attack-mode pitching against one of the nation’s top programs. For those who watched her dominate in NEPA, it felt familiar — just on a much bigger stage.

Cawley’s debut wasn’t just a stat line — it was a milestone. From Valley View to Division I softball, she proved she belongs, and she gave Binghamton a glimpse of a very bright future in the circle.

Final score: Virginia Tech 4, Binghamton Bearcats 1. One upset earlier in the day, one hard-earned lesson later, and a freshman debut that deserves its own spotlight. If opening weekend is about growth, grit, and discovering what you have — Binghamton checked every box.