April 26, 2008

Game 1 Game Two

VESTAL, NY - Binghamton swept the first half of this weekend's home-and-home baseball doubleheaders, topping the Highlanders, 7-1 and 15-5, Saturday afternoon in upstate New York.

The teams are scheduled to meet in another doubleheader on Sunday, with Binghamton coming to Newark for a pair at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium starting at 2 pm.

Sunday is also Senior Day for the Highlanders, who will honor seniors Chris Cardone, Tyler Hamilton, Cory Kuzmik, Dan Morogiello, Matt Schlitter and Mike Turner in ceremonies between games of the doubleheader.

On Saturday, the teams were tied at 1-1 in the middle of third inning in game one before Binghamton broke the tie with two runs in the bottom of the frame and then added a pair of runs in both the fifth and sixth innings for the 7-1 win.

Binghamton built a 4-0 lead in the first three innings of the nightcap, before the Highlanders rallied to tie the game with four runs of their own in the top of the fifth. However, the Bearcats battered the NJIT bullpen for 11 runs in the next two innings and came away with the 15-5 win.

In the opener, Binghamton's Zachary Groh pitched a complete game, scattering six hits, while walking five and striking out one in the seven-inning victory.

NJIT's starter, sophomore LHP Bobby Wyrwa, making his first appearance since his two-hit shutout against Hartford exactly a week ago, went 4.1 innings and took the loss, allowing seven hits and five runs before giving way to sophomore RHP Spiro Molfetas, who allowed two unearned runs in finishing up for the Highlanders.

Game two was about the hitting, as the teams combined for 25 hits, including seven doubles and a triple. Victorious Binghamton went through four pitchers and NJIT used six. The winning pitcher was the second Bearcat reliever, freshman Morgan Smith, who worked one inning and was charged with an unearned run. NJIT's second pitcher, junior LHP Matt Melody took the loss, allowing four runs in 1.1 innings.

In game one, Binghamton SS Kyle Klee and DH Tom Baileys each had two hits, while 3B Brian Ivan was 1-for-4, but drove in three runs.

NJIT had six hits, paced by two from LF Rob Pietrocola, whose double was the only extra base hit for the Highlanders.

Binghamton had 14 hits, which included four doubles and a triple, in the second game. Klee and Peter Bregartner each went 3-for-4, with three RBI, while Baileys, 2B Ryan James and C Jeff Shelhorne-Gross added two hits apiece. LF Joe Charron drove in two runs.

NJIT's Mike Turner was 3-for-4, including a pair of doubles and two RBI. SS Miguel Lugo also drove in two runs and finished the game with a double in three at-bats.

Trailing the opening game, 1-0, NJIT pulled even in the top of the third inning when 3B Matt Marotta led off with a hit, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Lugo and then to third on a wild pitch, where he eventually scored on Schlitter's ground out.

But that was the extent of the Highlanders' scoring in the game and Binghamton got all the runs it would need in the bottom of the inning, as the Bearcats pushed across two runs. Klee hit a one-out double, stole third and scored the tie-breaking run on a fielder's choice ground out by Ivan, who later came in on a double by Baileys.

NJIT fell behind in the nightcap, 4-0, but the Highlanders came up with four runs in the top of the fifth to tie the score. The tie was short-lived, however, as the Bearcats pounced for five runs in the fifth and six in the sixth, while NJIT managed one more run the rest of the way.

NJIT's four-run fifth inning came as part of a two-out rally. CF Ricky Petrosino got things started with a two-out single up the middle. Lugo followed with a run-scoring double and then scored himself on a single by LF Craig Binkiewicz.

After a walk to Schlitter, Binghamton changed pitchers and Turner greeted the reliever, James Giuletti, with a double that brought home Binkiewicz and Schlitter. Smith, who would become the winning pitcher, then replaced Giuletti and got the third out.

Binghamton responded with five runs on three hits, two walks and an NJIT error in the bottom of the fifth. Baileys led off the inning with a double, stole third and scored what proved to be the winning run on a wild pitch.