LOWELL, Mass. - Senior ace Mike Bunal struck out nine in eight scoreless innings and top-seeded Binghamton (28-23) advanced in the winner's bracket with a 6-3 win over fifth-seeded Albany Thursday afternoon at LeLacheur Park. 

On a steamy day, Bunal (W, 8-3) struck out the side in the first inning to set the tone. The Bearcats gave him plenty of support with two runs in the first inning and then single runs in each of the second, fourth, fifth and seventh innings. Bunal fanned the final batter he faced to close out the eighth inning. He departed with a 6-0 lead before Albany tallied three runs off two BU relievers.

In the first, sophomore center fielder CJ Krowiak led off with a walk and promptly stole second. Senior third baseman David Schanz was hit by pitch. A goundout moved the runners up to second and third and both came around to score on successive Great Dane wild pitches.

Up 2-0, Bunal induced a double play to end the second frame - the first of three that BU's defense turned. Binghamton then played add-on in their half of the second. With one out, sophomore right fielder Chris McGee doubled down the right field line and took third when the Albany fielder misplayed the ball. Freshman left fielder Daniel Franchi then laced an RBI single to left center to score McGee and make it 3-0.

Krowiak's RBI single with one out in the fourth pushed BU's lead to 4-0. Sophomore shortstop Paul Rufo and Franchi singled earlier in the inning. 

Junior first baseman Brendan Skidmore hit the first of his two singles to leadoff the fifth inning. After a perfect sacrifice bunt by junior catcher Eddie Posavec, sophomore catcher Jason Agresti plated Skidmore with an RBI single to center.

The Bearcats' final run scored on a hit batter, senior second baseman Reed Gamache, and three wild pitches. 

The Great Danes made things interesting in the ninth, tallying three runs on three hits and a walk before senior closer Rob Hardy struck out the final batter to seal the win.

Franchi had two hits and an RBI and Skidmore and Rufo added two hits apiece. 

Binnghamton will now face the winner of the afternoon game between second-seeded Hartford and third-seeded Stony Brook at noon on Friday. Junior Jake Cryts (7-4, 4.86 ERA) will start for the Bearcats. 

NOTES
With his nine strikeouts, Bunal raised his season total to 84, which is tied for second-most in program history, behind only Zach Groh (86 in 2007). Bunal also has tied for the most wins in a season (8), set by James Giulietti in 2010.