BALTIMORE, Md. - Host UMBC (8-9, 2-2 America East) capped a huge comeback with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 13th inning to beat Binghamton 10-9 in the series opener Saturday night at Alumni Field. It was the longest game (innings) BU has played during its 15-year Division I tenure.  

The Bearcats (4-10, 1-3 AE) led 9-1 in the fourth inning but were held scoreless over the final nine innings and the Retrievers made good on their 14th hit of the game to win it in the fourth extra frame. The last time BU went at least 12 innings was in the 2014 America East championship game when BU celebrated an 8-7 walk-off title-clinching win over Stony Brook in the bottom of the 12th inning. But BU's offense was stifled on six hits over the final nine frames in this game, which last four hours and 22 minutes.

Down 9-1, UMBC struck for four runs in the bottom of the fourth, two in the fifth and two in the eighth to force extra innings. The teams then played three scoreless frames before the hosts ended it on the 14th extra-base hit (combined) of the game to open the 13th inning. Binghamton went down in order the 10th, 12th and 13th innings. The Bearcats had their best chance to break through in the 11th inning with a lead off single. They put two on with two out before a strikeout ended the threat.

Binghamton outhit UMBC 15-14 but had 17 strikeouts at the plate and left 12 stranded.

Senior center fielder Zach Blanden belted a three-run home run in the second inning and sophomore first baseman Brendan Skidmore followed with a three-run shot of his own in the fourth inning as BU built a quick eight-run cushion. Blanden also hit a triple in the seventh inning. Skidmore tied for the team lead with his three RBI (12). 

In his second collegiate start, freshman left fielder CJ Krowiak went 3-for-6 with two doubles, an RBI and a stolen base. Senior right fielder Jake Thomas went 3-for-6 with two doubles and a stolen base, lifting his season average to .404. Sophomore catcher Eddie Posavec went 2-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI and three runs scored. Krowiak hit a one-out double in the top of the ninth inning but was stuck after back-to-back strikeouts. 

The Bearcats used five pitchers with sophomore Nicholas Liegi (L, 0-1) going the final three innings. Junior Mike Urbanski allowed just one hit in two scoreless late innings.

The teams will finish up the three-game series with a Sunday twinbill starting at 1 p.m.