For Immediate Release: May 21, 2006
Contact: John Hartrick (hartrick@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-6800

Binghamton baseball keeps playoff hopes alive with 4-2 win over Albany
Van Gorder improves to 6-1; Haughie, Smucker homer at NYSEG Stadium

Box Score

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. - Binghamton (27-22-1, 12-10 America East) belted two home runs and kept its postseason hopes alive with a 4-2 win over Albany (20-30, 12-10 AE) Sunday night at NYSEG Stadium. The Bearcats can advance to the four-team America East Championship with a win over Stony Brook Monday afternoon.

Junior pitcher Mike Van Gorder (Vestal, N.Y.) scattered four hits in 6.2 innings for his team-high sixth win of the season. He blanked the Great Danes through six innings before allowing a pair of runs in the seventh. Van Gorder struck out a season-high six and established the program's Division I record for most wins in a season.

Senior reliever Adam Shatkun (Plainview, N.Y.) allowed no hits over the final 2 1/3 innings to notch his second save of the season.

Binghamton supported Van Gorder with one run in the second, one in the fifth and two more in the sixth inning.

Junior shortstop Justin Smucker (Bird-in-Hand, Pa.) went 2-for-5 with a triple, home run and two RBI. Senior center fielder Aaron Davis (San Francisco, Calif.) continued his assault on Albany pitching with a 3-for-4 performance. Davis, who hit .500 (7-for-14) in the four-game series, hit two doubles and also made five putouts in center field, including several outstanding catches.

Junior catcher Pat Haughie (St. James, N.Y.) drilled his second home run in as many games and seventh of the season - a solo shot in the second inning to open the scoring.

The team will now pack its bags and board a bus Sunday evening for Long Island, where they will face the Seawolves at 3 p.m. on Monday.

NOTES
The win was a school-record 27th, breaking the old mark of 26, set by head coach Tim Sinicki's 1997 Division III team and matched by his 2000 Division II squad... Vermont (16-8) has already clinched the regular season conference title. Stony Brook (12-8) clinched a spot with their 14-4 win over UMBC Sunday afternoon. Maine (12-9) is in if it maintains its large lead over Vermont Sunday night. Binghamton will grab the No. 4 seed with a win over Stony Brook. A BU loss would send Albany into the tournament.