VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton baseball didn't disappoint the largest crowd in program history as the surging Bearcats (14-21, 10-9 America East) tamed UMBC (17-23, 7-12 AE) 6-1 in front of a sellout crowd of 1,906 at the new Bearcats Baseball Stadium. The win on a brisk, sunny evening came against the backdrop of the Grand Opening for the expansive facility, built with a record-setting $60 million anonymous gift.      

The Bearcats stretched a 1-0 lead with three runs in the third and then added two more runs in the sixth before the Retrievers ended BU's shutout bid with a run in the ninth.

Junior starter Thomas Babalis (W, 3-4) tossed six shutout innings and scattered four hits with five strikeouts. Sophomore John Lumpinski (S, 2) went the final three innings and fanned three. 

Senior shortstop Jake Evans went 2-for-3 with two RBI and junior first baseman Connor Aoki went 3-for-4 with an RBI to pace BU's 11-hit attack. Evans sparked the three-run third inning with a clutch two-out, two-run single. 

In the sixth inning, Evans led off with a single and senior right fielder Colin Mason followed with a single. With runners on first and third, junior left fielder Cavan Tully dragged a perfect squeeze bunt to score Evans. After a single from freshman center fielder Logan Haskell, Aoki completed BU's scoring with a sacrifice fly. 

Freshman DH Evin Sullivan had two hits and junior catcher Kevin Reilly added an RBI and threw out a UMBC baserunner in the first inning. The Bearcats had several strong defensive plays and Babalis worked his way out of early trouble before settling into a dominant performance. Tully tracked down a long shot in the left field corner in the seventh inning. Back in the third inning, freshman third baseman Devan Bade made a diving catch in the hole to deny a hit and run. 

Babalis left the bases stranded with Retrievers in two of the first three innings before gaining an edge. He retired 10 straight at one point. 

The attendance figure topped the previous home record of 1,138 set March 18 against Maine.   

The teams continue their three-game set at 2 p.m. on Saturday.