VESTAL, N.Y. - Junior catcher Kevin Reilly sent a deep fly into the right field corner for a walk-off RBI double in the bottom of the 11th inning as Binghamton baseball (9-8, 1-0 America East) defeated visiting UMass Lowell (3-15, 0-1 AE) 5-4 Friday afternoon at the Bearcats Baseball Complex. It was the opening conference game of the season for both teams.

Tied 4-4 in the 11th, senior closer Jack Collins struck out three in the top of the frame and stranded two, setting the table for BU's dramatic finish.

Sophomore second baseman Nick Roselli led off with a single through the right side. Three innings earlier, Roselli provided the clutch hit with a 2-out, two-run triple (his third of the season) that pulled the Bearcats even at 4-4. With the leadoff runner on, sophomore center fielder Logan Haskell dropped down a sacrifice bunt, moving Roselli to second. Then on an 0-1 pitch, Reilly sent a fly ball toward the line in right and it bounced into the BU bullpen for a ground rule double. Roselli trotted home with the winning run.

The teams each scored a run in the first and fifth innings to forge a 2-2 tie. Lowell pulled ahead with two runs on three hits in the top of the seventh but BU answered with two in the bottom of the eighth, setting up the extra-inning outcome.

In the eighth, junior DH Mike Gunning and senior first baseman Kevin Gsell drew back-to-back one-out walks. After a groundout, Roselli came through with his game-tying liner that the River Hawks center fielder made a diving attempt but missed.   

Roselli went 3-for-5 with two RBI and junior right fielder Tommy Reifler had two hits to maintain his lofty season average (.433).

After senior starter Thomas Babalis worked 6.0 innings in a no-decision, junior John Lumpinski provided four key innings to keep BU in the game. Lumpinski worked 1-2-3 ninth and 10th innings and struck out three before giving way to Collins (W, 1-1). 

The teams will finish off the series with a Sunday doubleheader beginning at noon.