VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton baseball dug a 6-1 hole and dropped the rubber game of a home series against NJIT, 6-3 Sunday afternoon at Bearcats Baseball Stadium. The Bearcats made a run at a second walk-off of the weekend after loading the bases in the ninth but the comeback bid fell short, giving the Highlanders the series edge.

Down 6-2 in the ninth, freshman third baseman Devan Bade (3-for-4, RBI) belted his first collegiate home run to lead off. Bade took an 0-2 pitch into the bullpen in left field to make it 6-3. Senior shortstop Jake Evans singled up the middle and junior right fielder Colin Mason walked, bringing the tying run to the plate with no outs. But a strikeout and pop-up to center put two outs on the board. Junior first baseman Connor Aoki walked to load the bases before a fielder's choice grounder ended the game.

The Bearcats were limited to single runs in the second and fifth innings and fell behind early for the third straight game. NJIT scored runs in four of the first five innings before BU kept them off the board for the final four frames.

In addition to Bade, Evans (2-for-4, RBI) and Aoki (2-for-3, RBI) had good days at the plate. 

Down 3-0 in the second, Evans delivered a two-out RBI single get the Bearcats on the board. In the fifth, Aoki came through with a two-out RBI double to the wall in left center to make it 6-2. 

Junior reliever Jack Collins worked 4.0 innings and scattered three hits and an unearned run with five strikeouts. In the process, he lowered his season ERA to 1.82. 

Binghamton next welcomes rival Stony Brook to the Stadium for a weekend series.