Bearcats Baseball Heading South

The Binghamton Bearcats baseball team opens the season this weekend with a trip to James Madison University. The opener is set for Friday with four games scheduled over three days.  BU's first eight games will be in Virginia with a 30-game conference slate beginning March 16 at UMBC.

Following this weekend's games the Bearcats return south for another four-game series as they face VMI March 1 - 3 and then meet North Carolina A T & T for four contests the weekend of March 8.  One of the highlights of the schedule will be March 23 and 24 when BU hosts Stony Brook at the Bearcats renovated stadium on campus.  Stony Brook won the America East title last season.

Last year the Bearcats went 23-26 overall and finished 13-9 in America East.  The Bearcats had pitchers Mike Augliera (5th round, Boston) and Lee Sosa (26th round, Oakland) selected in the Major League Baseball Draft last season.  Augliera finished his Bearcats' career with 23 victories...more than any other pitcher in team history.

BU also lost first baseman Dave Ciocchi to graduation.  He finished ranked second in career hits with 245 and RBI with 162.  Ciocchi also ended his career third in school history with a .342 batting average.

Veteran coach Tim Sinicki returns for his 21st season as head coach. He has been selected as America East Coach of the Year four times.  His 2013 team returns eight starting field position players and three starting pitchers.  Bearcats captains are seniors Mike Danaher (catcher), Bijan Mangouri (infield) and Jay Lynch (pitcher).  Maine-Endwell grad Brian Ruby , last year's leading hitter with a.371 average, returns to anchor the infield at third base.  2B Daniel Nevares is back after garnering second-team All-AE honors last season.