The Binghamton baseball team played the University of Massachusetts Lowell last weekend, losing two out of three games. In all three games, the River Hawks took an early lead, forcing the Bearcats to play catch-up for much of the series.

“We were just a little flat today,” said Binghamton head coach Tim Sinicki. “We had some chances that didn’t come through. Our pitching, I thought, was really good all weekend, but we just didn’t play well enough offensively and defensively.”

Game one saw UMass Lowell (16-26, 8-10 AE) take a 1-0 lead in the second inning when a River Hawk stole home. No teams scored again until the fifth inning when senior infielder Devan Bade hit a two-run homer to give Binghamton (20-19, 9-9 AE) the lead. Bade proceeded to score again in the seventh and ninth innings, with two RBI doubles on two straight hits, putting the team up 4-1.

BU continued to put up runs in the ninth inning, thanks to an RBI single from junior infielder Zack Kent and a bases-clearing RBI double by junior infielder Mike Stellrecht. Their opponents were unable to score, leading to a final score of 8-1. Game one also saw sophomore pitcher Hayden Tarsia pitch seven full innings while allowing just three hits and one earned run.

“[Tarsia is] pretty impressive for a kid that wasn’t in the starting rotation to begin the year,” Sinicki said. “I’m really proud of the fact that he has taken advantage of this opportunity and has made the most of it. He’s throwing the ball extremely well right now.”

In game two, UMass Lowell took a convincing lead early, scoring four runs in the third inning. Binghamton responded with a run of their own in the top of the fourth, courtesy of an RBI double by senior catcher Evin Sullivan. With another run in the bottom of the inning, the River Hawks tacked back onto their lead, making it 5-1.

The Bearcats put up one more run in the fifth off an RBI single from senior catcher Zach Rogacki, making it 5-2 and threatening a comeback in the ninth inning by driving in two more runs. They couldn’t finish the job, however, falling short at a final score of 5-4.

“We had opportunities to score runs in games two and three, we didn’t,” Sinicki said. “I know it sounds pretty simple, and in game one we kinda cashed in. Sometimes you’ve got to give credit to the other team. They’re trying to win as well, and unfortunately, they got the better of us in games two and three.”

Game three saw the River Hawks take another early lead, scoring one run in the second inning and another in the fifth. Binghamton’s first run came in the sixth inning, when graduate student first baseman Freddy Forgione hit an RBI single.

The Bearcats’ opponents added on a third run in the bottom of the sixth, but Binghamton answered with a run of its own in the eighth, thanks to a solo homer by Rogacki, keeping the team in the game at a score of 3-2. The River Hawks, however, managed to put up two more unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth. With the Bearcats unable to score in the ninth, the final score read 5-2.

“We played one of our best games of the year on Friday night,” Sinicki said. “Then we came out yesterday, and the rain delay and then the suspended game today. I thought we were a little flat today. I don’t know if we had a short night last night, a lot of waiting around, but no excuses.”

Binghamton will play its next game against Cornell on Tuesday, April 29. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the Bearcats Baseball Complex in Vestal, New York.