Looking to bounce back after being swept in its season opener by Clemson, the Binghamton baseball team traveled to Winston-Salem, North Carolina for a three-game weekend where it faced off against Wake Forest, Mount St. Mary’s and Towson, respectively. Despite exiting the weekend with a 1-2 record, the Bearcats plated 27 runs, the most since 2005, during their win over Mount St. Mary’s on Saturday.
“We’ve got pretty good talent in all of the classes,” said Binghamton head coach Tim Sinicki. “Last year we got pretty good talent out of the guys who were freshmen, so we just need to just continue on developing every year, every class.”
During BU’s (1-5) first outing on Friday, it took the field against No. 4 ranked Wake Forest (9-0), the highest-ranked opponent that the Bearcats have faced in 13 years. Binghamton got off to a quick start in the first inning, getting two runners on base, but its early success was promptly extinguished by the Demon Deacons. In the bottom of the frame, three hits from the hosts, including a two-run homer, a double and a single, sprung Wake Forest ahead 3-0.
Then, after two full scoreless frames, the Demon Deacons added to their lead with a two-out, two-RBI double. BU’s lone hit came off of the bat of junior outfielder Mike Gunning in the top half of the sixth. The Bearcats had a chance later in the ninth inning when they loaded the bases. However, the visitors were unable to plate any runs as they left all runners stranded on base. The Demon Deacons finished with a 6-0 win over the Bearcats.
“They’re the fourth-ranked team in the nation for a reason, but I think we played pretty well,” Sinicki said. “We pitched really well, but we went up against preseason All-American [Rhett Lowder].”
After a scoreless first game of the tournament, the Bearcats defeated Mount Saint Mary’s (5-3) 27-2 on Saturday thanks to the offensive efforts of sophomore infielders Devan Bade and Nick Roselli, who combined for 13 RBIs. The 27 runs scored are the most BU has scored since defeating St. Peter’s 34-3 on Mar. 22, 2005. Every Bearcat position player notched at least one run and one RBI — totaling 27 runs on 22 hits with 10 of those hits going for extra bases.
Bade went 4-5, tallying a season-high four hits and seven RBIs. The Bearcat also notched two home runs, a triple and two walks.
Roselli registered six RBIs in the contest, three of which came from a home run in the first inning. The sophomore added another RBI in the fourth and a two-run single in the eighth. Junior pitcher Gabe Driscoll earned the win on the mound, allowing just five hits and one run over six innings pitched. Driscoll notched five strikeouts in the Bearcats’ first win of the season.
“We have to go out there and be consistent,” Sinicki said. “It can’t just be one game. If you’re a good ball club, you have to have some consistent play.”
Binghamton dropped its final game of the weekend to Towson (1-6) on Sunday by a score of 10-1. BU got out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning courtesy of a single by junior outfielder Tommy Reifler, plating junior catcher Kevin Reilly. The Tigers responded in a flurry, notching three runs in the top of the third, four in the top of the fourth and closed the game out with two in the ninth.
“Baseball’s a game of rhythm and of repetition,” Sinicki said. “When you play three games and drive back [to Binghamton] … It’s not easy to go out there, play full games and then come back and then practice inside.”
The Bearcats will take the field again next weekend starting Friday, March 3 for a three-game series against Norfolk State. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Marty L. Miller Field in Norfolk, Virginia.