HIGH POINT, N.C. - Binghamton baseball (2-5) scored the game's final nine runs to storm past High Point (5-5) 9-7 in the series opener Friday afternoon at Williard Stadium. In a matchup between teams picked to win their respective conferences, the Bearcats drew first blood with the improbable comeback.
The Bearcats trailed 7-0 but scored three runs in the seventh and six in the eighth to complete the rally. Junior closer
Jackson Mitchell then slammed the door with 2.0 hitless final frames. He struck out five of the six batters he faced to earn the save for senior
Dan McAliney, who made his season debut and struck out the side in the seventh. Mitchell hasn't allowed an earned run in 8.1 innings this spring and has 12 strikeouts and just one walk.
Big South favorite High Point built their lead with four runs in the first and three in the fourth. But Bearcat pitchers allowed no hits after the fifth inning and after stranding eight runners through six, Binghamton's offense cashed in down the stretch.
Binghamton sent eight men to the plate in the seventh and got on the board when sophomore first baseman
Steven Kraus launched a 3-run home run over the wall in right center. With one out, sophomore left fielder
Grant Hunter and senior second baseman
Zack Kent singled, setting the stage for Kraus, who belted an 0-1 pitch for his first long ball of the spring.
After McAliney made quick work of the Panthers in the bottom of the frame, the Bearcats came back up and brought 11 batters to the plate in the decisive eighth. High Point pitchers helped the cause with five walks and a hit batter as the momentum swung to the visitors. After three straight walks loaded the bases, Hunter hit a sacrifice fly, making it 7-4. A hit batter and two-run fielding error brought Binghamton to within one, 7-6. Two more walks tied the game at 7-7. Sophomore third baseman
Tim Hennig then ripped a two-run double to right field to give the Bearcats the winning margin, 9-7.
Hennig had two hits, as did Kent. Hunter and sophomore DH
Andrew Heppner had an RBI each.
On the mound, sophomore lefty
Vincent Luther bridged the middle innings with 2.2 frames of two-hit, no-run ball.
The teams continue the series with a 4 p.m. game Saturday.
