Thanks to four last-inning wins, Binghamton baseball has won five of its eight road games since March 23, capturing series against Stony Brook and Hartford and splitting its doubleheader with Bucknell.
Another string of solid pitching performances repeatedly put the Bearcats (14-9, 5-4 America East) in position to win late.
In the series against Stony Brook, Binghamton held a 3.00 ERA, and against Hartford, starters Jake Lambert and Jack Rogalla allowed just three runs in 14.1 innings, with Rogalla lowering his season ERA to 2.64.
Binghamton currently leads the America East with a 4.01 team ERA.
“We’ve been getting quality innings from both our starters and relief pitchers,” Binghamton head coach Tim Sinicki said. “Their efforts have really allowed us to stay in games from start to finish.”
The Bearcats kicked off their stretch of games spanning the spring break on March 23 with a doubleheader at Stony Brook (9-18, 4-5 America East).
Trailing by three in its final turn at the plate, Binghamton rallied for six runs to take the opener 10-7. Senior outfielder Jake Thomas, who tied the game with a two-run double, scored the go-ahead run on a double by junior third baseman Brian Ruby.
Despite a solid pitching performance from Rogalla — four runs on eight hits in six innings — the Bearcats dropped the nightcap 4-1.
Senior Jay Lynch tossed seven scoreless innings in the series finale, which the Bearcats won 8-1. The Bearcats outhit Stony Brook 13-5, and freshman second baseman Reed Gamache recorded two RBIs, the first of his collegiate career.
The Bearcats scored 19 runs in the series and committed one error.
Two days later, Binghamton traveled to Bucknell (6-20, 1-3 Patriot League) for a doubleheader.
After falling 3-1 in the opener, Binghamton responded with another last at-bat rally to win 5-4. Sophomore outfielder Zach Blanden, who went 2-for-4 at the plate, broke a 4-4 seventh-inning tie with a RBI single.
“The one area I have been most impressed with is the way this team fights and never gives up,” Sinicki said. “We’ve had our backs against the wall on a few different occasions and somehow have found ways to win games late. That is a great characteristic to have as a team.”
Last weekend, the Bearcats did just that, twice. They traveled to Hartford (5-19, 4-5 America East) and swept the doubleheader on Saturday, posting victories of 3-2 and 3-1, both won in their final turn at bat. The wins improved Binghamton’s all-time record against Hartford to 32-7.
Lambert pitched the opener, scattering five hits and two runs in 7.1 innings. Rogalla pitched the nightcap, allowing one run on four hits in seven innings.
Hartford forced extra innings in the opener, but Binghamton junior infielder John Howell scored the go-ahead run in the eighth off a Thomas sacrifice fly.
In the nightcap, Binghamton found itself trailing 1-0 in the ninth, but senior first baseman Jordon Smucker and junior second baseman Daniel Nevares scored on an error to put Binghamton ahead 2-1. Senior outfielder Bijan Mangouri, who had belted his first collegiate home run in the win against Bucknell, tacked on an insurance run with a sacrifice fly.
The next day, the Bearcats dropped the series finale, 4-3. The team struck out a season-high 15 times and was limited to three hits.
Despite the sour ending, Sinicki said he is happy with his team’s development.
“I’m pleased with where we are at as a team right now,” he said. “We’ve played pretty good baseball thus far, but can be better … a lot better.”
Both Thomas and Smucker made statistical strides during the week. Thomas leads the America East with a .515 on-base percentage while Smucker stands in second with 24 RBI.
Sinicki said that the team has not focused on the individual statistics.
“I know we have talented players in our program and high expectations for them,” he said, “but it’s team first here and then once the season is over we can look back more on the individual accomplishments.”
The Bearcats are set to head to Maine this weekend for a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Mahaney Diamond.