Nolan Ryan. Roger Clemens. Pedro Martinez.
Zach Groh?
For the first time this season, Groh will start at home, giving BU students an opportunity to see college baseball’s hottest pitcher. Groh hasn’t given up an earned run in 36 innings and currently has the lowest ERA in the country.
The Binghamton baseball team will host Maine this weekend in a pivotal four-game America East set. The highlight of the series will be the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader (beginning at noon) where Bearcat ace Groh will go head-to-head with the conference’s best-hitting team.
“I don’t know about whether this is the most important [start], but any conference game I get to start is important to me and for us as a team to get a win and get closer to the conference tournament,” Groh said.
In addition to his incredible 36-inning streak, and having the nation’s lowest ERA, Groh also leads the conference in strikeouts per nine innings and opposing batting average.
“I’m not even sure I can describe in words how big he’s been for us,” said head coach Tom Sinicki. “I’m sure this streak will end sometime, but until then, he’s just gotta keep doing what he’s doing.”
The Black Bears should provide a challenge for Groh, as they currently lead the conference in home runs, batting average and runs scored. They also sit in first place, two games ahead of the Bearcats.
“This is no discredit to Maine, but I pitched against Fresno State this year and they have more power than Maine,” Groh said. “All I did was pitch my game. I’m just going to do exactly what I have been doing in the past: pitch to my strengths and let my fielders make the plays.”
Maine’s sophomore third baseman Curt Smith and freshman second baseman Kevin McAvoy currently rank first and second in the conference in batting average, and senior outfielder Ryan Quintal is third in home runs.
Winning the series will be a real test for BU’s pitching staff, but the Bearcats have the necessary weapons even beyond Groh. Also expected to start this weekend is reigning AE Pitcher of the Week Jarrod Rampey, who has his own scoreless streak going, having not allowed a run in the past 14 innings. Senior righty Mike Van Gorder is third in the conference in ERA, and also should start against Maine, while lefty Scott Diamond — last year’s conference Rookie of the Year — will probably start Friday.
“[The starting pitching has] been good for us all year,” Sinicki said. “On the weekends the team goes out there knowing they have a real good shot of winning.”
With the conference slate winding down and Maine holding a slight lead in the standings on BU, a dominating performance could be the key to the Bearcats postseason hopes. Despite the importance of this series, the team seems to be downplaying the significance.
“It’s no different for us then any other conference weekend,” Sinicki said. “You have to always step it up. You can’t say you’re gonna win big against Maine, than stub you’re toe the next week against Hartford.”
Game times are Friday at 3 p.m., a doubleheader Saturday starting at noon and then the final contest on Sunday at noon.
BINGHAMTON FALLS TO LE MOYNE
The Binghamton baseball team dropped a non-conference showdown with Le Moyne 10-6 Wednesday in Syracuse.
The Dolphins struck for five runs off BU sophomore Ron Miller, who was pulled before retiring a single batter.
“Unfortunately for him, this was the second time in a row that he struggled,” said head coach Tom Sinicki. “It’s just one of those things, it’s kind of hard to explain the last couple of games for him. Hopefully he’ll bounce back.”
Junior second baseman Matt Simek went 3-for-5 with a three-run home run for the Bearcats, and junior shortstop Justin Smucker added two hits, including a solo blast to lead off the game.