ORONO, Maine - In a battle featuring the last two America East baseball champions, host Maine (9-28, 5-7 America East) scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth to edge Binghamton (16-21, 6-10 AE) 4-3 Friday afternoon at Mahaney Diamond.

The Bearcats surrendered a leadoff double up the middle to start the ninth. After a groundout moved the runner to third, the Black Bears won it with a sacrifice fly to right field. Sophomore right fielder Zach Rogacki made a strong throw to the plate on the play but the Maine runner just beat it to end the game.

Binghamton took a 3-2 lead in the sixth in a two-out, two-run single by sophomore shortstop Mike Stellrecht. In the sixth, junior third baseman and Rogacki singled in back-to-back at-bats and two batters later, Stellrecht ripped his hit up the middle. 

But Maine tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a leadoff home run. 

The Bearcats were limited to four hits and left seven stranded. They scored their first run on a Rogacki single and three walks in the second inning. 

Sophomore starter Dan McAliney worked 5.0 innings and held Maine to two runs on two hits with two strikeouts. Senior reliever John Lumpinski went the final 3.2 innings. 

The teams continue the three-game series with a single game at 1 p.m. Saturday.