A few weeks ago, they were talking about hosting the conference tournament. Now, there’s a legitimate chance that they might miss the playoffs.
What went wrong?
The Binghamton baseball team has fielded perhaps its most talented squad ever this season. With the most dominating pitching staff in the America East, and a balanced lineup from top to bottom, the Bearcats were built similar to last season’s World Series champion Chicago White Sox. Yet, after a series of bad breaks, the Bearcats find themselves in a must-win position next weekend against archrival Albany.
After the Danes shocked favored Stony Brook last weekend, winning both games they played, Albany and Binghamton are now deadlocked in third place with a 10-8 record each. Stony Brook has fallen to fifth place at 8-8, but takes on conference doormat UMBC at home in its final four-game series. The top four teams in the America East advance to the postseason.
So how do the Bearcats, with the best pitching staff and second best hitting unit in the conference, find themselves playing for their lives on the last weekend of the season?
A lot of it is bad luck. Hits haven’t fallen, run support hasn’t come at the right time and they’ve suffered too many close losses. Until this weekend, sophomore Zach Groh led the nation in ERA, yet in his last two starts, both complete games, he lost 3-1 and 1-0.
Also, BU has shown it can beat the big boys in the conference, splitting its series with Maine and Vermont, but has stumbled in winnable games against UMBC and Hartford.
Now, arguably the most talented team in the conference faces a potential win or go home series.
Should the Bearcats get into the playoffs, they instantly become that team no one wants to see. Groh and junior right-hander Mike Van Gorder rank first and third, respectively, in conference ERA and batting average against. Sophomore Scott Diamond, who was expected to be the team’s ace this season, has been overshadowed by his teammates, but is quietly returning to his old form, putting together back-to-back fantastic starts.
Juniors Brendon Hitchcock and Justin Smucker both rank in the top ten in hitting in the conference, and classmates Matt Simek and Jeff Monaco have joined them to form an intimidating top of the order.
It’s been a special season for the Bearcats statistically, but without a playoff berth, it won’t be considered a success. This team is too talented to miss the postseason.
It’s time for the hits to fall and for the run support to arrive. The luxury of waiting until next game is gone because right now, there’s no guarantee of a next game.
BU LOSES TWO OF THREE IN FINAL NON-CONFERENCE SERIES
The good folks of New Orleans sure didn’t show their legendary hospitality to the Bearcats this weekend.
The Binghamton baseball team dropped two of three to New Orleans in a non-conference series this weekend, winning the first game 7-5, before dropping the next two 14-11 and 14-4. After freshman Scott Diamond tossed a gem in game one, Zach Groh and Jarrod Rampey each pitched their worst games of the season.
Groh’s reign as the nation’s ERA leader ended Saturday as the Privateers jumped on him for six runs in 2.2 innings of work. The Bearcats would score 11 runs off 13 hits led by a 4-for-5 performance from junior second baseman Matt Simek, but it would not be enough as New Orleans pounded the bullpen just as hard as it did Groh.
It was the same story Sunday, as Rampey let up eight runs in four innings of work. BU never recovered, as only four Bearcats registered hits.