America East Baseball News & Notes: Two weeks to Binghamton

Read Time:3 Minute, 12 Second

The America East Baseball Conference is taking shape with two conference weekends left until the postseason tournament begins. Last weekend’s big series wins by UAlbany, UMBC, and NJIT have made things a little closer as we head to the finish line. There are some important series on tap for the weekend so let’s take a look.

UMBC (21-19, 11-7) moved within three games of first place after sweeping their series from Maine (10-31, 6-11) at home last week. They outscored the Black Bears 26-4 in the three games as they took advantage of a Black Bears pitching staff that has had their issues all season long. The Retrievers were led by America East Player of the Week Dawson Baracani. The senior SS hit .583 while slugging .917 with a .688 on-base percentage. He scored six runs in the series and drove in seven. In the 15-1 win on Friday, Baracani went 3-for-4 with four RBI, four runs scored, a triple, and a base on balls. After a mid-week game on the road at Georgetown and Delaware State, UMBC will head to upstate New York for a three-game series with Binghamton.

Another team that is making a late-season push toward the postseason is the Great Danes (11-29, 8-12) At home last weekend, they took two of three from UMass Lowell (21-24, 10-10). The Great Danes have won six of their last seven games. America East Rookie of the Week John Vitucci was a big help in helping UAlbany to a 3-1 week. He hit .500 with a .733 on-base percentage, scored six runs, and had three hits. In a 6-2 win over the River Hawks, Vitucci was 3-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored, and a RBI.

This late-season surge has UAlbany in an interesting position. They are only one game ahead of both the Bearcats and the Black Bears for what could be last place in the league. They are three games back of NJIT for fourth place. After playing Siena this week, the Great Danes will play non-league baseball at home vs Manhattan over the weekend.

Bryant (29-16, 14-4) lost a series to the Highlanders on the road last week. In doing so, they have made things a little unsettling. Things got off to a good start for the Bulldogs on Friday night. AE Pitcher of the Week Austin Wainer tossed six innings of shutout baseball allowing six hits, with a walk and six strikeouts. For Wainer, this is his third weekly award. Bryant would lose a doubleheader on Saturday losing both games in walk-off fashion. Bryant’s schedule is the toughest of anyone as their last three weekends would be on the road. They will spend this weekend in Maine taking on the Black Bears.

The series of the weekend could be in Lowell where the River Hawks will host the Highlanders. This is a series for third place in the league with UMass Lowell up by a game over NJIT. The Highlanders do have the tie-breaker on Lowell by way of taking two of three from them earlier this season. UMass Lowell still has hopes of catching UMBC for second place. They are three games back of them. One thing to keep in mind with UMass Lowell. This is their final weekend of conference baseball. Winning this series is a requirement if they have any hope of finishing in second place. Or at the very least, keeping NJIT out of third place.

The best news about this week is that nothing has been decided. Good baseball is ahead so get out and see a game near you. Next week we will look ahead to the final week of the regular season.