CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The top two teams in the America East baseball standings faceoff this weekend as second-place Binghamton visits first-place Maine in the fourth week of conference play. Also on tap this weekend, Stony Brook makes a trip to Albany as the Great Danes play their home opener, and UMBC heads to Hartford.
Stony Brook (9-18, 4-5) at Albany (8-13, 4-5)
Sat., April 6, 12 p.m. – Brandon McNitt (Stony Brook) 1-2, 3.66 ERA vs. Cameron Sorgie (Albany) 1-2, 4.41 ERA)
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Sat., April 6, 3 p.m. – Frankie Vanderka (Stony Brook) 4-2, 1.42 ERA vs. Kasceim Graham (Albany) 3-3, 3.37 ERA
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Sun., April 7, 12 p.m. – Daniel Zamora (Stony Brook) 1-5, 4.84 ERA vs. Ryan Stinar (Albany) 1-0, 4.50 ERA
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The Seawolves earned their first series win of the young conference season, taking two of three from the Retrievers last weekend. Stony Brook boasts the second-best team ERA in conference play at 3.08, thanks in large part to the efforts of Frankie Vanderka. Vanderka, who tossed a no-hitter against Fordham earlier this year, has allowed just one earned run in 23.0 innings of work during America East action.
Albany has had success at the dish during league play, as the Great Danes lead the conference with a .285 batting average, while the 48 runs scored rank second. Jeff Welsh leads the conference during league play with a .455 batting average.
UMBC (8-11, 4-5) at Hartford (5-19, 4-5)
Sat., April 6, 12 p.m. – Mac Gill (UMBC) 2-0, 2.70 ERA vs. Kyle Gauthier (Hartford) 0-4, 6.61 ERA
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Sat., April 6, 3 p.m. – Denis Mikush (UMBC) 0-2, 8.59 ERA vs. Brian Hunter (Hartford) 1-3, 4.91 ERA
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Sun., April 7, 12 p.m. – TBD vs. Sean Newcomb (Hartford) 2-3, 4.91 ERA
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Hartford and UMBC have identical 4-5 conference records coming into the weekend. The Hawks won their first series of the conference season. Righthander Sean Newcomb was outstanding last weekend in his start for the Hawks, going seven innings and striking out a conference season-high 12 batters to get the win.
UMBC’s Mac Gill has been strong on the hill so far this season for the Retrievers with a 2-0 record and a 2.70 ERA. At the plate, UMBC has been paced by freshman Kevin LaChance, who is hitting .318. UMBC has lost its last two series since beating Binghamton two of three on conference-opening weekend.
Binghamton (14-9, 5-4) at Maine (15-14, 6-3)
Sat., April 6, 1 p.m. – Jake Lambert (Binghamton) 3-0, 4.76 ERA vs. Tommy Lawrence (Maine) 4-2, 2.15 ERA
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Sat., April 6, 4 p.m. – Jack Rogalla (Binghamton) 2-1, 2.93 ERA vs. AJ Bazdanes (Maine) 3-3, 3.80 ERA
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Sun., April 7, 1 p.m. – Jay Lynch (Binghamton) 2-3, 2.97 ERA vs. TBD (Maine)
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The Black Bears and Bearcats will duel in Orono with first place on the line in the conference. The Black Bears are the only team in the America East to win each of their first three series. Maine leads the conference in hitting with a .282 team batting average, and ranks second in pitching with a 4.09 team ERA. Junior Tommy Lawrence is first in the conference in league play with a 0.38 ERA, allowing one earned run in 24 innings of work.
Binghamton is first in the conference in team ERA at 4.01 and second in batting, hitting .276 as a team. The Bearcats’ top-three starting pitchers all rank in the top-15 of individual ERA during conference play. Jay Lynch leads the pitching staff with a 1.42 ERA. At the plate, Jake Thomas is the conference leader during league action with eight RBI.