The Binghamton baseball team wrapped up its home stand at the newly renovated Bearcats Sports Complex with an extra-inning 7-6 loss to Canisius on Thursday after picking up a 6-5 win over Cornell on Tuesday.
Sophomore outfielder Zach Blanden was perfect at the plate against the Big Red (21-15, 9-7 Ivy), going 4-for-4 with a two-run, third inning home run that put Binghamton (20-15, 9-8 America East) on the board and cut Cornell’s lead to 4-2.
But the true turning point of the game came when junior second baseman Daniel Nevares capped off a four-run fifth inning with a two-run double. The hit scored sophomore left fielder Jake Thomas and freshman infielder David Schanz, and gave Binghamton the 6-5 lead it would preserve through nine innings. Only two of the Bearcats’ six runs were earned, with four errors by the Big Red defense.
BU sophomore Anthony Grillini surrendered an unearned run in two innings of relief to pick up his third victory of the season.
Sophomore Mike Urbanski earned the save, though Cornell didn’t quit without a fight. A single, a hit batter and a groundout placed the tying run on third, but Urbanski induced a lineout to Thomas to end the game.
Junior outfielder Bill Bereszniewicz picked up two hits in three at bats, while sophomore starting pitcher Mike Kaufman went two innings and gave up three earned runs.
Two days later, Canisius (29-10, 7-5 MAAC) extended its winning streak to nine games by outlasting the Bearcats in 11 innings.
The Golden Griffins used a five-run fifth inning to take a 6-1 lead, and by the bottom of the ninth, they sat comfortably ahead, 6-3. But Thomas doubled in two runs with one out, and Schanz scored on a wild pitch to the game. With two outs and runners on first and third, junior first baseman Brian Ruby had an opportunity to win the game in walk-off fashion, but he grounded into a fielder’s choice.
After tossing two efficient innings of relief, freshman Tsuyoshi Horibata allowed a leadoff double in the top of the 11th. Canisius junior outfielder Ryan Coppinger followed with a triple that drove in the go-ahead run. Horibata induced three consecutive groundouts to escape without allowing Coppinger to score, but the damage had already been done.
With one out in the bottom of the 11th, Thomas walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. But Nevares struck out and junior outfielder Shaun McGraw, who finished 2-for-4 with a solo home run, lined out to end the game.
The loss was Horibata’s first of the season.
The Bearcats, who sit four games behind first-place Maine, are set to face Stony Brook (15-27, 7-11 AE) in a three-game series at Joe Nathan Field this weekend.
First pitch of Saturday’s doubleheader is scheduled for noon, with the series finale scheduled to start at noon on Sunday.