America East Baseball News and Notes: Binghamton Clinches as the Race for the Final Spot Heats Up

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Despite having a bye from conference play last weekend, the Binghamton Bearcats (23-16, 12-3) have officially become the first team to secure a spot in the America East postseason tournament. It’s a fitting start for the Bearcats, as the tournament will be held on their home turf in Binghamton in late May. As they return to league action this coming weekend, they do so riding a dominant 11-game conference winning streak and holding a comfortable three-game lead in the loss column over the second-place Maine Black Bears (15-25, 9-6).

The Fight for the “Final Four”

While the top of the table looks settled, the real drama is brewing at the bottom. A tight battle for the final tournament berth has emerged between the UMass Lowell River Hawks (16-24, 6-12) and the NJIT Highlanders (14-24, 5-13).

The River Hawks currently hold a one-game lead over the Highlanders, along with a crucial tiebreaker advantage after taking two of three from NJIT back in early April. UMass Lowell steps away from league play this weekend for a pair of games at Stony Brook, marking the start of a grueling seven-game road trip. Meanwhile, NJIT returns home to face a dangerous Bryant squad that just swept the River Hawks last weekend.

Bryant’s “Speed Kills” Strategy

The Bryant Bulldogs are currently in the middle of an 11-game road trip and have split their first six contests (3-3). While they’ve played roughly .500 ball lately (8-10 in their last 18), the Bulldogs have been masters of the series, winning seven of their 11 sets to date, including four of six in conference play.

The hallmark of this Bryant team is their relentless aggression on the basepaths. They currently rank 9th in the nation with 121 stolen bases in 40 games. Their average of 3.02 steals per game ranks 6th nationally, trailing only VMI (3.77 per game). The Bulldogs are currently chasing the all-time America East record of 145 steals, set by the Northeastern Huskies back in 1991.

Great Danes Sweep Weekly Awards

The UAlbany Great Danes made a statement by taking two of three from NJIT last weekend, fueled by a pair of standout pitching performances.

Dylan Banner earned his second AE Pitcher of the Week nod after tossing seven shutout innings, allowing just three hits and striking out four in Sunday’s 1-0 thriller. Banner received a no-decision for his effort, but the Great Danes secured the walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth when Levi McAllister laced a bases-loaded single to right field to score Michael Maggio.

Meanwhile, Brian Cadieux was named AE Rookie of the Week for his start in the other half of the weekend’s action. Cadieux turned in five shutout frames, allowing four hits while striking out three. Though the Great Danes eventually fell 6-0 in that contest, Cadieux’s composure provided a bright spot for the rotation.

Player of the Week: Brady Rasmussen (Maine)

The AE Player of the Week honors go to Maine outfielder Brady Rasmussen. During a 3-1 week for the Black Bears—which included a statement win over nationally ranked Boston College—Rasmussen was nearly impossible to retire. He slashed an incredible .571/.611/.714, scoring three runs and driving in four. In the upset over the Eagles, Rasmussen went 2-for-4 with a walk, and he followed that up by hitting .600 with a massive 1.467 OPS in the series win over UMBC.

With only a few weeks of regular-season play remaining, the picture is getting clearer. Next week, we’ll be one step closer to seeing who will join Binghamton in the chase for the America East crown.