Baseball Falls, 7-3, To Binghamton In Season Finale
BOX SCORE
ALBANY, N.Y. – In the final game of the 2014 season, the University at Albany baseball team fell, 7-3, to the visiting Binghamton University Bearcats. Despite the loss, the Great Danes came away with the series victory after Saturday’s doubleheader sweep.
The Binghamton pitching staff held UAlbany to two hits in the contest, as Nicholas Leigi (2-1) earned the win, tossing five scoreless frames with two strikeouts. Mike Bunal threw three innings and was charged for a hit and two runs, while Tsuyoshi Horibata was credited an unearned run in the final frame.
For UAlbany, Ryan Stinar (1-3) took the loss, throwing 4.2 innings, allowing five runs and five hits, while striking out two. Sam DeCelle, Joey Moore, and Terry Dugdale also saw time on the hill.
Offensively for the Great Danes, senior D.J. Hoagboon and junior Alex Lushkevich each had a hit, while senior Josh Nethaway recorded an RBI. Nethaway ended his career ranked second all-time in UAlbany’s record book for runs batted in with 139.
Using 14 walks and seven hits to their advantage in the contest, the Bearcats took a 6-0 lead, scoring two runs in each the third and fourth innings, and one each in the fifth and sixth frames.
The Great Danes got on the board in the bottom of the sixth, as Jeff VonMoser’s leadoff walk, Hoagboon’s single up the middle, and senior Brian Bullard’s walk loaded the bases with no outs. VonMoser crossed the plate on a wild pitch, and Hoagboon came home on Nethaway’s RBI groundout, making the score 6-2.
In the eighth, Binghamton scored its final run of the game, as Jake Thomas lined an RBI single to right.
With three outs remaining in the season, UAlbany looked to rally, as Evan Harasta drew a leadoff walk. He came around to score on a two-out fielding error, but that would be the Danes’ final run.
UAlbany ends the season with a 12-33 overall record and 7-17 mark in the America East. Meanwhile, Binghamton will advance to the America East Championship, played in Lowell, Mass. this week as the No. 3 seed. The Bearcats ended the regular season with a 21-24 overall mark and 11-12 record in conference play.
