VESTAL, N.Y. – The Binghamton baseball team nearly came back from a 5-0 deficit, but the Bearcats were ultimately defeated by Bryant 7-6 Friday in the series opener at the Bearcats Baseball Complex.
 
Both Devan Bade and Matt Bolton hit a home run for Binghamton (14-15, 5-5 America East), while Mike Stellrecht drove in another two runs. However, the Bearcats were unable to complete the comeback against the defending America East Conference champions.
 
Bryant (13-15-1, 3-4 America East) prevented Binghamton starting pitcher Ryan Packard from getting out of the first inning. On the first pitch of the game, Zac Zyons took Packard deep for a solo home run. The Bulldogs added three more runs that inning thanks to an RBI single by Drew Wyers, a sacrifice fly by Pat D'Amico and an RBI double by Gavin Greger. Brady Bouchard took the mound for Packard to finish the first inning, but two innings later, D'Amico drove in another run with an RBI single in the third to extend Bryant's lead to 5-0.
 
Binghamton began making its comeback in the bottom half of that inning when Bolton hit his fourth home run of the season to make it 5-1. It was one of two hits on the day for the freshman outfielder, who also added a double in the fourth inning. Two batters later, Bade added to the rally with his team-leading sixth homer of the season to bring it to 5-2.
 
In the fourth inning, Bryant got two runs back thanks to an RBI single by Matt D'Amato. Trailing 7-3, the Bearcats continued to fight back. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth inning, Stellrecht hit a single to right field to bring in both Freddy Forgione and Zack Kent, making it 7-5.
 
The rally continued in the seventh inning when Todd Abraham singled to bring home Evin Sullivan to make it 7-6 with no outs and the bases loaded. Stellrecht nearly repeated the result of his previous at-bat with a line drive towards right field. But the ball was caught by first baseman Shea Grady, who then stepped on first base to force out Abraham for the double play. Logan Haskell then grounded out to second base to end the inning.
 
Both Jake Dally and Ian Kaiser kept Binghamton in the game by throwing a combined 4.1 shutout innings. Binghamton, however, only got one more hit in the final two innings of the game, a single by Kent with two outs in the ninth inning. But Abraham struck out swinging right after that to end the matinee.
 
Binghamton continues its three-game series against Bryant on Saturday at 2 p.m., at the Bearcats Baseball Complex.
 
UHS Sports Medicine is the presenting sponsor of Bearcats' baseball.