March 25, 2005
Box Score Game 1
Box Score Game 2
EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Binghamton took two games from Lafayette in non-conference baseball action on Friday at the Class of 1978 Stadium. In game one, Binghamton scored a single run in five of seven innings to hold on for a 5-3 victory, while in game two, the Bearcats pulled away for a 17-4 win.
In the opener, both teams' bats were ready to go in the first inning. Binghamton's Mathieu Bergeron doubled home a run with two outs in the inning. The Leopards struck back with a pair of runs in the bottom half. With two runners aboard after singles, Mike Raible ripped a double to left center that scored Rob Fioretti and Tom Hayes.
After a scoreless second, Binghamton plated a run in each of the next four innings. The Bearcats used a Lafayette error, a sacrifice bunt, a balk and a sac fly from Justin Smucker to tie the score at 2-2 in the top of the third. Then, in the visitor fourth Binghamton claimed a one-run lead. Back-to-back singles and a sac bunt put runners on second and third with one out before Whitney Powell singled in Matt Simek.
Binghamton tacked on another run in the top of the fifth to lead 4-2 as Brendon Hitchcock cracked an RBI-double. In the bottom of the inning, Lafayette cut the lead to 4-3. Fioretti knocked in a James Conrad with a one-out base knock. Conrad (3-for-4) had reached base on one of his three hits in the game.
Binghamton added an insurance run in the top of the sixth inning on a Chris Darling sac fly, and the Bearcats were able to hold the lead through Lafayette's final two at-bats, retiring the Leopard lineup in order.
Mike Weglinski earned the mound win for Binghamton, allowing three runs on seven hits over six innings. Adam Shatkun came on in the seventh to get the save. Lafayette starter Matt Revelle threw six innings, surrendering five runs (three earned) on eight hits. Ted Gjeldum tossed the seventh for the Leopards.
In game two, Binghamton batted around its lineup in the first inning, banging out six runs, while running away to a 17-4 win.
Hitchcock provided the big swing in the first with a three-run home run. The next batter, Bergeron, followed with a solo shot. Doug Lunau came out of the bullpen later in the inning to replace Lafayette starter Brian Cope who retired just one batter. Cope (0-2) was charged with six runs (four earned) while giving up three hits and two walks.
The Leopards did manage to get one run back in the home half of the first on a Raible RBI-groundout, but Binghamton scored seven runs over the second and third innings to put the game away early. The Bearcats posted a five-spot on the scoreboard in the third. Two run-scoring singles from Smucker and Hitchcock (3-for-4 with 5 RBI) and three Lafayette errors gave Binghamton a 13-1 lead after three.
Lafayette scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth off Binghamton starter Jarrod Rampey. Junior Clint Losch, who started both games at shortstop for the injured Ian Law, ripped a two-out double to left to score a run. Freshman Tyler Zeronda knocked in two more for the Leopards in the inning.
Binghamton plated four more runs in the fifth on four singles and a sac fly to leave the final at 17-4.
Rampey (2-2) earned the victory, allowing four runs (one earned) over six innings. He struck out six and walked three. Lunau and classmate Nick Tucker threw the final 6.2 innings. Lunau gave up 11 runs, just two of which were earned as the Leopards committed eight errors in the game. Tucker tossed the final 2.1 innings and was not charged with a run. He scattered three hits to the 11 batters he faced.
In the game, Conrad, who was lifted after the fourth, had his 14-game hitting streak snapped. Freshman Tom Ambrosole recorded his first career hit in the seventh.
Lafayette and Binghamton are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Saturday at the Class of 1978 Stadium at noon.
