The Fairleigh Dickinson University baseball team split its four-game series against the University at Binghamton, halving a pair of games, Sunday, March 30. The Knights (4-17) were topped in extra innings, 6-3, but bounced back for a 3-2 victory in game two at FDU Field in Teaneck, NJ.
In the top of the first, the Bearcats (7-15) jumped ahead, 1-0, as junior infielder Kyle Klee (Rochester, NY) singled back through the box, driving in sophomore outfielder Joe Charron (Schaghticoke, NY) who flared a double down the right field line. They threatened the following frame, before FDU senior lefty John O'Hara (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's) (Staten Island, NY) worked out of a bases loaded jam.
O'Hara hurled seven innings ? allowing two earned runs ? while also sitting down 10. He ended up with a no decision.
The Bearcats moved ahead 2-0 in the third when freshman infielder Brian Ivan (Toronto, Ontario) lined a two-out pitch off O'Hara's glove, plating Klee from third base.
Freshman first baseman Brian Dillon (Sarasota, FL/Cardinal Mooney) (Sarasota, FL) one-hopped a double off the centerfield fence, driving in senior designated hitter John Paganotti (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph By The Sea) (Staten Island, NY). With the sacks full, freshman infielder Steven LaForge (Garfield, NJ/St. Mary) (Garfield, NJ) placed a suicide squeeze to knot the game, 2-2, while also hustling for a single. Junior outfielder Jeff Vincent (Murrysville, PA/Franklin Regional) (Murrysville, PA) reached on a fielder's choice to give the Knights a 3-2 advantage.
Righty Murphy Smith (Clifton Park, NY) logged five innings for Binghamton. The sophomore allowed nine hits, receiving a no decision.
An FDU defensive miscue with two outs in the top of the seventh allowed the tying run to score ? ultimately extended the contest to extra innings.
Binghamton junior Ken Jacobi (Milford, CT) came off the bench to pinch hit in the eighth, launching an RBI double to left field. The next batter, freshman catcher C.J. Lukaszewski (Kingston, NY), added an RBI single, en route to a three-run frame.
Sophomore right-hander Michael Strachman (Roslyn Heights, NY/Roslyn) (Roslyn Heights, NY) suffered the loss through one inning of relief. All three outs he recorded were strikeouts.
Bearcats senior righty Khalid Afify (Binghamton, NY) picked up the win, working two shutout innings out of the pen. Junior right-hander Greg Lane Jr. (Binghamton, NY) earned his second save of the year, and the series.
Senior infielder Luis Rosario (Bronx, NY/James Monroe) (Bronx, NY), Paganotti, Maher, and LaForge each tallied two-hit efforts.
In the nightcap, Charron notched his second dinger of the series ? a solo shot to give Binghamton a 1-0 lead in the first. In the bottom portion of the frame, Paganotti evened the score with an RBI base knock.
A Binghamton defensive blunder with two outs allowed a tandem of runs to cross the dish in the bottom of the fifth, as the Knights grabbed a 3-1 edge.
Fairleigh Dickinson junior righty Ben Green (Plainview, NY/JFK Plainview) (Plainview, NY) surrendered another solo homer in the sixth when freshman outfielder Peter Bregartner (East Islip, NY) did work to right field. Green scattered five hits ? striking out five ? to post his second win of the season.
Bearcats senior southpaw Gio Yannuzzi (Binghamton, NY) was saddled with the loss, despite only allowed one earned run.
Vincent and Rosario went for multiple hits, while freshman designated hitter Joe Martino (Westbury, NY/W.T. Clarke) (Westbury, NY) reached twice.
FDU travels to South Orange, NJ to face Seton Hall University at 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 2.
