Contact: John Hartrick (hartrick@binghamton.edu)

OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. - Junior Rob Hardy pitched five innings of one-hit ball and sophomore first baseman Brendan Skidmore ripped a two-run triple in the fifth inning to spark Binghamton to a 5-1 win over NYIT in the rubber game of a weekend series Sunday afternoon from Lorenz Field.

The win gave 23rd-year head coach Tim Sinicki his 500th career victory.

Hardy (W, 3-2) retired the first nine hitters and only allowed a fourth-inning single in his outing. He struck out three and walked one before giving way to BU's bullpen. Four relievers tossed one inning apiece to close out the win. 

Senior center fielder Zach Blanden recorded a ninth-inning single to reach the 200-hit milestone. Blanden walked three times, stole three bases and scored twice. Junior third baseman David Schanz went 2-for-5 with two RBI.

Schanz got BU on the board in the top of the third inning. Blanden coaxed a two-out walk, stole second and Schanz plated him with an RBI single. Two innings later, the Bearcats tacked on four runs, thanks to two hits and three walks. Schanz delivered another RBI single and after he and Blanden orchestrated a double steal, Blanden came in to score on a throwing error. Junior second baseman Reed Gamache walked and then Skidmore brought in two with his first triple of the season.

The host Bears snapped the shutout with a run in the bottom of the ninth. 

Binghamton outhit NYIT 5-4.

The Bearcats next host St. Bonaventure in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. on Tuesday before BU welcomes UMBC to the Sports Complex for a big America East series on the weekend.

NOTES
Sinicki is the longest-tenured coach at the University. He recorded his first win on April 7, 1993 - a 7-5 win at Stony Brook. He ushered the program from its Division III origin to its current NCAA Division I affiliation. Sinicki's teams have won three of the last six America East titles and advanced to the NCAA Regionals.