LOWELL, Mass. - Binghamton's Jake Thomas laced a two-out RBI single to center in the top of the ninth inning to give the Bearcats a, 4-3, win over Stony Brook and force a decisive game seven in the 2014 America East Baseball Championship on Saturday night. The two teams will play a winner-take-all game for the conference championship and automatic berth to the NCAA tournament on Sunday at noon at LeLacheur Park in Lowell, Mass.
Binghamton advanced to the title round with an, 8-0, win over Hartford earlier in the day where junior Greg Ostner tossed a complete-game shutout.
Binghamton used three pitchers against the Seawolves, beginning with Nicholas Liegi who allowed just one run on four hits over four innings. Freshman Jextin Pugh earned the win, allowing two runs on three hits in his four innings of work. Tsoyoshi Horibata finished the game in the ninth to grab the save.
Stony Brook's Tyler Honahan went the first seven, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits. Bryan Tatelman and Cameron Stone each went an inning in relief and allowed one unearned run apiece.
Usually steady defense from Stony Brook hurt them on Saturday night, as the Seawolves committed three errors and allowed three unearned runs. The squad entered the tournament as the No. 1 fielding team in the nation.
Binghamton threatened early against Honahan, loading the bases with nobody out in the second. The lefty got Eddie Posavec to ground into a 3-2-3 double play and then was helped out by outstanding defense from Robert Chavarria who robbed Zach Blanden with a diving stop to end the threat.
The Seawolves got on the board in the bottom of the second when Casey Baker singled and stole second. He then came around to score on an Anthony Italiano single to make it 1-0 Stony Brook.
The Bearcats evened the game at one run apiece in the fifth when Billy Bereszniewicz beat out what could have been an inning-ending double play ball that allowed John Howell to score from third.
Binghamton grabbed the lead with another hustle play in the seventh. This time it was Blanden beating out an infield single with two outs that allowed Howell to score and make it 2-1.
Stony Brook scratched across a run of their own in the bottom of the inning on a Kevin Krause double that scored Jack Parenty from second, tying the game at 2-2 heading to the eighth.
Once again Binghamton found a way to get in front as Shaun McGraw lifted a sac fly to center that plated Daniel Nevares from third, making it 3-2.
The Seawolves would not go away quietly. Trailing by one run in the bottom of the eighth, Stony Brook had two-on with two-out and Josh Mason at the plate. The senior took a two strike pitch up the middle into center field and Baker came around to score the game-tying run with a head first slide into home.
That set the stage for Thomas, breaking the tie with a two-out single to center that scored Blanden in the top of the ninth inning.
The Seawolves looked to rally in the ninth as Krause singled to start the inning and moved to second on a sac bunt by Kevin Courtney. After Cole Peragine walked, Baker hit a hard line drive right to Howell at short who stepped on second to get the double play to end the game.
Binghamton is just the third team in America East history to force a decisive game seven after losing its opening game fo the tournament. The teams meet against Sunday at noon for the conference title.