VESTAL, N.Y. - In an America East tournament winners' bracket game Friday morning, host and third-seeded Binghamton baseball (25-23) suffered a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to top-seeded Stony Brook (30-21). With its first loss after back-to-back wins, BU drops into the consolation bracket and will face the winner of the Hartford-Albany elimination game (Friday afternoon) in a 6 p.m. game Friday. The winner of that will advance to Saturday's championship round, where it will have to defeat Stony Brook twice to win the title.

The Bearcats had a 2-1 lead after sophomore center fielder Shane Marshall belted a two-run home run in the sixth inning. But the Seawolves countered with four runs in the bottom of the sixth - three coming on a disputed 3-run home run that appeared to hit the foul pole low on the pole and carom into the right field corner. The delayed home run call ended a strong showing from Rookie of the Year Thomas Babalis, who struck out six and scattered five hits. 

Down 5-2, BU nearly rallied to tie the game in its final two innings. Binghamton got one back in the eighth when junior left fielder Daniel Franchi scored sophomore shortstop Jake Evans with a sacrifice fly. Down 5-3 in the ninth, BU put its first two hitters on with singles by junior second baseman Alex Baratta and sophomore designated hitter Sam Freedman. After a sacrifice bunt moved them forward, freshman first baseman Kevin Gsell hit an RBI groundout to make it 5-4. After junior third baseman Justin Drpich drew a walk, BU had runners on first and third with two out. Evans sent a ball up the middle that was snared and the ensuing force at second ended the game, leaving BU short by a whisker.

After plating 18 runs on 21 hits Thursday night, BU's offense was held in check by Stony Brook starter Bret Clarke, who limited BU to three hits over seven innings. The Bearcats managed just four singles and the Marshall home run for the game. The blast was Marshall's fourth of the season and tied him for the team lead with 32 RBI.