Because of its persistent late-inning struggles, the Binghamton baseball team suffered two losses to Marist on Wednesday. The Bearcats (9-20-1, 5-7 America East) dropped the doubleheader’s first match in walkoff fashion, and dropped the nightcap to Marist (16-14, 6-3 MAAC) due to a four-run fifth inning from the Red Foxes. With the team’s first loss, Binghamton is now 1-8 in games decided by one run this season.
“Making mistakes both offensively and defensively late in games has cost us,” said BU head coach Tim Sinicki. “Sometimes, when our batters are up in close games, they’re just trying to do a bit too much.”
In the opening game, the Bearcats took a quick lead on an RBI single from senior shortstop Paul Rufo in the top of the first inning, but Marist quickly tied the score up in the bottom of the second. The next run in the game did not come until the bottom of the eighth inning, when Marist sophomore infielder Patrick Lightner drove in the game-winning run on a single down the left field line.
Binghamton strictly used relievers to turn in an overall dominant pitching performance in the loss. Freshman Reid VanScoter, sophomores Greg Satriale and Ben Anderson and junior Cal Lawrence combined to allow two earned runs across 7.2 innings pitched, striking out seven batters and allowing just one walk. However, the Bearcats’ offensive struggles continued, leaving seven runners on base in the game.
Looking to bounce back, BU fell down immediately when senior pitcher Joe Orlando allowed a two-run double to Marist junior outfielder Frankie Gregoire. Orlando was able to finish the first without allowing any more runs. Binghamton cut into the Red Foxes’ lead in the top of the fourth when Satriale hit a two-run double of his own.
In the bottom of the fifth, Marist worked freshman pitcher Ryan Lambert into a two-out, bases-loaded jam after already allowing a run earlier. Lambert was relieved by classmate Josh Kopcza in Sinicki’s move to get out of the inning relatively unscathed. An error by freshman outfielder Andrew Eng, though, allowed three unearned runs to reach home for the Red Foxes.
The Bearcats were unable to score with the exception of Satriale’s double, leaving 12 runners stranded during the game. On a positive note for BU, Satriale showcased his versatility during Wednesday’s doubleheader. The second-year infielder and pitcher threw two shutout innings in Wednesday’s first matchup and knocked in a game-tying double in the following game.
“[Satriale] was great for us today,” Sinicki said. “I’m glad we were able to get him some at-bats as well as getting him on the mound.”
Other standout performances for the Bearcats came courtesy of senior outfielder CJ Krowiak and junior infielder Matt Tsukroff. Krowiak batted four-for-eight and scored two runs in the doubleheader, and Tsukroff recorded two hits, a run and a walk in the nightcap.
BU’s 2018 season has been highlighted by losses in close games, as shown by the Bearcats only winning one out of nine games decided by one run.
“We have a lot of experienced players who have had many at-bats here,” Sinicki said. “The hope is they will be able to turn it around.”
Binghamton is set to return to AE play for a three-game series against Albany at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York. The series is scheduled to start at noon on Saturday, April 21.