STONY BROOK, N.Y. - First-place Binghamton baseball (27-11, 12-4 America East) did something it hadn't done since February and because of it, the team's title-clinching drive is temporarily on hold. The Bearcats dropped a doubleheader at Stony Brook (23-23, 10-9 AE) Sunday afternoon, losing 17-9 and 4-1. It marks the first time since the opening weekend of the season (Feb. 17-19 at New Mexico) that BU has lost two in a row - an incredible run of 34 games.

In the opening slugfest, BU jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a two-out, two-run home run by junior catcher Jason Agresti in the top of the first inning. But the host Seawolves scored four runs on four hits in the bottom of the frame. After the Bearcats got one run back in the top of the third to make it 4-3, Stony Brook put four more on the board. During the inning, BU lost another starting infielder to injury when all-conference senior first baseman Brendan Skidmore had to leave the game. Skidmore's injury means that BU has now had three-fourths of its starting infield sidelined with injury in the last month (Paul Rufo and Luke Tevlin).

The Seawolves broke the game open with seven runs in the fifth inning, as BU pitchers surrendered three triples in the inning. Binghamton scored five runs in its final two at-bats but could not overcome the deficit.

Junior first baseman Pat Britt went 2-for-3 with two RBI, freshman second baseman Justin Drpich went 3-for-4 with an RBI and both Agresti and junior center fielder CJ Krowiak had two hits and two RBI. 

Sophomore starter Nick Gallagher (L, 7-2) lost for only the second time all season. 

In Game 2, the Seawolves snapped a 1-1 tie with a run in the fifth inning and addedtwo more in the sixth to complete the sweep with a win in the seven-inning nightcap. Like the opener, BU scored in the top of the first, only to see Stony Brook answer in the bottom of the inning. Agresti hit a sacrifice fly to plate senior catcher Eddie Posavec, who reached on a one-out single. Sophomore third baseman Justin Yurchak moved him to third with a single.

But BU was held to four hits and came up empty in the final six innings.

Junior Nick Wegmann (L, 3-5) went 4.1 innings and allowed three hits and two earned runs.

Binghamton is off until hosting Hartford in a three-game set this coming weekend. The Bearcats will clinch the America East regular season crown and top seed for the tournament with just one win or one loss by second-place UMBC.