The Binghamton University baseball team utilized its home field advantage as it took two of the three games in its first conference series against Stony Brook at Varsity Field this weekend.
Binghamton (9-15, 2-1 America East) split the doubleheader on Saturday, winning 2-0 before dropping the second game 8-3 to the Stony Brook Seawolves (11-16, 1-2 AE). On the mound for the Bearcats in Game 1 was junior lefty James Giulietti. Reprising the role of the ace, Giulietti pitched seven shutout innings, giving up only two hits.
“James has stepped forward as our No. 1 starter. We not only lost our No. 1 starter last year, but we lost our No. 2 starter as well, and so there were some questions about who was going to fill that No. 1 starter’s role and we all hoped and thought that it could be James,” said Binghamton head coach Tim Sinicki. “He has shouldered that responsibility, he has embraced that role, and he has helped himself pitch like the No. 1 starter that he is.”
Junior outfielders Henry Dunn and Peter Bregartner contributed one RBI a piece to secure the win. Dunn came out early with a home run to center field in the first inning. Bregartner extended the Bearcats’ lead to two with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning.
The second game of the doubleheader proved to be too much for the Bearcats. Starting for Binghamton was freshman pitcher Jay Lynch. Lynch got the loss while giving up five runs through a span of 6.1 innings.
“I think [Jay’s] performance overall was good this weekend. He just made a couple of mistakes, but again, it is his first conference game,” Sinicki said. “I do think that he is going to be a very good pitcher for us, and before he leaves Binghamton he will be one of the better ones that we ever had in our program. Outside a couple mistakes, I thought he pitched extremely well.”
Binghamton’s offense started off quickly with sophomore first baseman Dave Ciocchi’s sacrifice fly in the first inning. Junior catcher C.J. Lukaszewski widened the lead with a two-out double that brought home Joel Stubbs and senior shortstop Jeff Abrams in the second inning.
The Bearcats were unable to hold this lead as the Seawolves came back with two home runs in the third, tying the game at 3-3. Stony Brook’s offense continued to fire with another two-run home run in the seventh inning. With three more RBI in the eighth, Stony Brook secured the lead and took Game 2.
The offense and the defense opened Game 3 with a bang, taking the final game of the series in a 12-3 win. Sophomore righty Mike Augliera pitched 8.1 innings, surrendering just one run. Augliera allowed four hits and recorded five strikeouts.
The BU bats were hot in the second inning, breaking open the lead. Both Dunn and senior designated hitter Joe Charron tripled, resulting in a combined five RBI. Senior second baseman Jim Calderone, Ciocchi and Abrams each contributed one RBI to Binghamton’s 9-0 lead.
“Well, I think it’s so easy to pitch and to play defense when your offense is able to get you a big lead like we did in the second inning there,” Sinicki said. “Everything is a little bit more relaxed. You have a committed mind confidence and … it continues to show that our offense can be very potent and that gives our pitchers a great deal of confidence.”
Ciocchi and Calderone continued to add to the lead with a groundout RBI and a one-run double, respectively. Taylor recorded the last RBI with a sacrifice fly to left field in the seventh inning, bringing home Dunn.
Junior pitcher Morgan Smith closed the game and kept Binghamton’s lead safe, giving up two runs in the ninth inning. This weekend’s conference wins were a huge confidence booster for the Bearcats.
“To actually go out and compete with what I think year-in, year-out [is] one of the best programs from Stony Brook and be able to beat them two out of three … I think it says a lot about where we are as a ball club,” Sinicki said. “The type of potential we have if we play good baseball like we did this past weekend, we should be able to be successful as our conference season moves forward.”
The Bearcats are set to take on Siena at 4 p.m. tomorrow.