The Binghamton baseball team swept North Carolina A&T in this weekend’s four-game series at War Memorial Stadium, capping off the set with a strong 13-0 win on Sunday. The Bearcats (8-4) averaged more than 10 runs a game in the series and posted a team on-base percentage of .409.
The highlight of the series was senior first baseman Jordon Smucker’s three-run home run in the opening game. With the Bearcats already up 5-2 in the seventh inning, junior first baseman Brian Ruby and junior infielder Daniel Nevares reached on back-to-back singles before Smucker stepped to the dish. Smucker’s shot, his third of the season, propelled Binghamton to a 10-4 victory.
Smucker, who was named America East Player of the Week, totaled eight RBI in the series. Through the first 12 games, he leads the Bearcats with 19 RBI.
Other notable players from the series were Ruby and sophomore left fielder Jake Thomas. Ruby seems to have caught fire after a slow start this spring, going 2-for-4 with two RBI in the series finale and extending his hit streak to seven games. He hit .389 in the series (7-for-18) and has six multi-hit games already this season.
Thomas, who drove in five runs in the four games, hit .333 on the weekend and reached base at a .564 clip.
In the series opener on Friday, senior pitcher Jake Lambert scattered eight hits and four runs in 5.2 innings of work to earn the win. He struck out five and walked one.
Saturday saw a double-header with the Bearcats collecting 23 total hits en route to respective 9-6 and 9-4 wins. In the opener, BU gained five runs in the first frame and added runs in the third and fourth innings, with an extra two in the sixth. Smucker drove in three runs and Ruby had two hits and scored three runs.
Senior pitcher Jay Lynch went five innings, giving up nine hits and four earned runs. He struck out three and didn’t walk a batter.
The second game saw Thomas go 4-for-5 with five RBI. The Bearcats scored two runs in the first inning and three more in the second, building a 5-0 cushion. They held a 12-7 command in hits.
BU junior pitcher Mike Meleski allowed six hits and one earned run in his five innings of work. He struck out five batters.
The 13-0 series finale win featured a two-run, second-inning home run by junior designated hitter Shaun McGraw. The Bearcats tacked on five more runs in the third, two in the fourth and four in the sixth. McGraw and junior shortstop John Howell each drove in three runs.
Junior starter Jack Rogalla limited the Aggies (4-11) to a pair of hits in six scoreless innings. He struck out three and didn’t walk a batter.
BU is scheduled to open conference play with a three-game series at UMBC this weekend. A double-header is set for 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, followed by a noon game on Sunday. The series marks the earliest start to conference play since Binghamton joined the America East.