Vestal, N.Y. -- The University of Maine softball team blasted out an America East Championship record 18 hits and defeated Albany, 14-1, to capture the 2016 America East title on Saturday at the Binghamton Softball Complex.

America East Player of the Year Janelle Bouchard led Maine's attack, going 3-for-4 with a home run, three runs and four RBIs. Erika Leonard added two hits with a double while scoring three runs and driving in four more. Felicia Lennon belted three hits and added a pair of RBIs for Maine which recorded a season-high in hits.

Erin Bogdanovich earned the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award after going 5.0 innings and giving up just one run on four hits with a pair of strikeouts.

Bogdanovich joined Bouchard, Lennon and Leonard on the America East All-Tournament team. Chloe Douglass was honored with the Elite 18 award, presented to the top students competing in each America East championship.

Maine continued its streak of starting hot, pushing across four runs on five hits in the top of the first. With two on, Bouchard slapped a single through the right side, scoring Leonard. Lennon followed, finding the same hole on the right side and bringing home Rachel Carlson. Alyssa Derrick dropped a single on the line in right which brought around Bouchard with Maine's third run. The Black Bears took a 4-0 first inning lead after Kristen Niland's flare found a home in left to plate Lennon.

The bats remained hot for Maine in the second. After Leonard reached with a lead-off walk, Bouchard crushed her fifth home run of the center over the wall in center. The blast put the Black Bears up, 6-0.

There was no cooling off the offense of the Black Bears as they scored five more runs in the top of the third. Leonard began the scoring, roping a single to left before Carlson's double to the gap in right center plated another. Bouchard found the hole on the right side once again, again scoring Leonard. Maine's lead reached double digits when Harvey's high-drive bounced off the fence in left. Her RBI double plated Bouchard with Maine's 10th run of the day. The lead expanded to 11-0 on Lennon's RBI single to right.

Leonard's bases clearing double in the fourth brought in three more for the Black Bears to give them a commanding 14-0 lead.

Albany was able to get a run back in the bottom of the fourth on Elizabeth Snow's solo home run.

Bogdanovich and the defense retired Albany in order in the fifth. Coyne fielded the final out cleanly, tossing it over to Niland at first for the third out to give Maine its first America East softball championship since 2004.

Maine's NCAA regional destination will be determined on Sunday, May 15 during the 10 p.m. NCAA selection show on ESPNU.

-UMaine-