Natchitoches, La. - Host Northwestern State (1-0) took advantage of three errors and seven walks to defeat Binghamton baseball (0-1) 3-2 in the season opener for both teams Friday night at Brown-Stroud Field.
The Bearcats outhit their Southland Conference hosts 7-5 but BU surrendered a pair of run-scoring walks and an unearned run (back-to-back errors) and came up short after stranding four baserunners in the final two innings.
The Demons plated single runs in the first, fourth and sixth innings. Binghamton countered with runs in the fourth and seventh frames.
Down 3-2, BU had a chance to tie the game in the eighth inning. Freshman first baseman
Shane Marshall led off with an infield single (first collegiate hit) and with one out, sophomore left fielder
Daniel Franchi singled. A short fly ball accounted for the second out and then senior catcher and clean-up
Jason Agresti was walked on four pitches to load the bases. But a foul fly to the catcher ended the threat. In the ninth, BU put the tying run on first with one out when junior right fielder
Anthony Meduri singled. But a strikeout and fly to center ended the game.
Meduri wound up 3-for-4 with an RBI. Senior DH
Pat Britt drove in the other run with an RBI groundout in the fourth.
Junior starter
Nick Gallagher (L, 0-1) struck out six in his 3.2 innings but walked five, including the two bases-loaded freebies. Sophomore
Jake Miller pitched 3.1 hitless innings with six strikeouts. He was saddled with an unearned run when BU committed an infield error followed by a three-base outfield error in the sixth. Senior
Joe Orlando tossed a scoreless eighth inning. In all, BU pitchers struck out 12 and stranded 14 Demon runners, but issued seven walks and hit four batters.
Agresti sent a deep ball to the wall in the sixth inning that the cool air kept in the park. Senior center fielder
CJ Krowiak hit three balls sharply but was left with two long fly outs and a lineout.
With rain in the forecast on Saturday, the start time for Game 2 has been moved up to noon (EST). Senior right-hander
Jacob Wloczewski gets the start for the Bearcats.
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