VESTAL, N.Y. – Reigning America East champion Binghamton baseball opens its 51-game regular season this weekend with a strong test at Conference USA power Dallas Baptist. The teams will play a three-game set at DBU's Horner Ballpark. Barring any weather changes, games are set for Friday (4 p.m. ET), Saturday (4 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.) in Dallas.

With heavy turnover from the program's 2025 NCAA team, Binghamton will look to reshape its lineup as it enters 2026. Five of the nine position starters have graduated, including elite hitters 2-5 in what was one of the most explosive offenses in program history.

But there is no better coach equipped to retool and contend then six-time America East Coach of the Year Tim Sinicki (729 wins), the longest-tenured current one-stop coach in the NCAA, now in his 34^th season at Binghamton.

While Sinicki's 2025 squad leaned on its offensive production to overcome an unprecedented rash of pitching injuries, his 2026 edition might lean the other way, with the pitching depth more than capable of leading the way while a new lineup settles in.

Returning to key starting roles are sophomore all-conference center fielder Matt Bolton, All-Championship selection and 2B Zack Kent and veteran shortstop Mike Stellrecht. Kent, Stellrecht and junior all-conference pitcher Hayden Tarsia are tri-captains this season.  

Tarsia takes the ball Friday night and will face a Patriots team that was picked to win the C-USA title and return to the NCAA Regionals.  DBU won 41 games last season and is one of just five teams in the country to advance to the NCAA Regionals in 11 consecutive seasons and the Patriots have won 40+ games in 10 of those seasons.
 
Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday, Feb. 13 - 4 p.m. (ET)
RHP Hayden Tarsia (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Russ Smith (0-0, 0.00 ERA) | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
 
Saturday, Feb. 14 – 4 p.m. (ET)
RHP Conner Griffin (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Jared Schaeffer (0-0, 0.00 ERA) | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
 
Sunday, Feb. 15 - 1 p.m. (ET)
RHP Brady Bouchard (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Ryan Borberg (0-0, 0.00 ERA) | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats