Baseball team splits doubleheader with Hartford

Game 1: Binghamton 5, Hartford 4
Game 2: Hartford 7, Binghamton 6

VESTAL, N.Y.--The Binghamton baseball team (8-28-1, 2-12 AE) split an America East Conference doubleheader against Hartford (5-26-1, 3-7 AE) on Wednesday afternoon, winning the first game 5-4 before losing the nightcap 7-6.

In the opener, the Bearcats trailed 3-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning before senior first baseman Jacob Thiel (San Bruno, Calif./ Canada College) drove in the tying run on a triple to right center field. He then scored when sophomore designated hitter Chris Darling (Whitesboro, N.Y.) reached first base on a throwing error. Senior outfielder Tony Berube (Vestal, N.Y./ Keystone College) then drove in Darling with an important insurance run, making the score 5-3.

Hartford got a run back in the top of the seventh inning but sophomore relief pitcher Mark Weglinski (Hyde Park, N.Y./ Roosevelt) held them scoreless the rest of the way to record his first save of the season. Junior pitcher J.D. Brink (Matamoras, Pa./ Cecil CC) got the win, improving his record to 2-5. Junior Jeff Swedberg took the loss for Hartford, dropping his record to 0-6.

The Hawks pulled the come-from-behind heroics in the nightcap, coming back from a 5-2 deficit in the top of the fifth inning to pull out the win. Senior second baseman Ryan Waldron had a RBI single in the fifth inning to trim the deficit to 5-3. Senior catcher Keith Mirante tied the game in the top of the sixth inning with a two-run double.

In the top of the seventh inning, the decisive play came when junior third baseman Ron Acabbo reached first base on a dropped third strike. The Hawks then went on to score a pair of unearned runs and held on for the win.

Sophomore Tony Cekovsky got the win for Hartford, improving his record to 3-5. Senior reliever Brian Mascaro picked up his second save of the season while Darling took the loss for Binghamton, dropping his record to 0-2.

Binghamton continues its homestand when it faces Le Moyne on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.