West Coast-bound: Binghamton University's baseball team to play in NCAA Stanford Regional

Binghamton University’s America East Conference baseball champions will oppose No. 2 NCAA Tournament seed Stanford for openers, 4 p.m. Friday (EDT) on the Cardinal’s Sunken Diamond.

Aside from 41-14 Pac-12 champion Stanford, a loaded bracket includes 45-12 Texas State out of the Sun Belt Conference and 43-12 UC Santa Barbara from the Big West.

The Bearcats (22-28) are coming off a stupendous 3-0 showing in Orono, Maine, in which they outscored opponents 35-11 to claim the program’s fifth conference championship — fourth in the most recent nine years. As for the imposing challenge ahead, and his players’ frame of mind with regard to opposing one of collegiate baseball’s bluebloods?

“We know that we did not get off to a good start, we know that our RPI isn’t as high as we want it to be,” said BU coach Tim Sinicki. “Because of those two things we knew we were going to get matched up against a very high seed. … The guys were good with any of the places but they were excited to go to California. Obviously not just the tradition of Stanford baseball but also because it’s somewhere most of them have never been before.”

Sinicki, Binghamton native and Johnson City High graduate, heads a homegrown coaching staff that oversees a group including four Section 4 products.

Logan Haskell (Kirkwood/Susquehanna Valley High) is a freshman and starting center fielder. From the bullpen come Skip’s son, Tanner Sinicki (Vestal/Seton Catholic Central) and Dom DiRado (Vestal). Tanner Beang (Oneonta) has been injured and unable to pitch this season.

The Bearcats regrouped from a 1-7 start in conference play to secure the championship in one-sided fashion.

“I had to start looking at the lineup and figure out why we were 1-7 and got committed to making some changes,” Sinicki said of the turnaround’s root. “Fortunately, the guys who were inserted took it and ran with it and the guys who lost a starting job did a good job accepting their new role and being committed to being a new teammate — at the same time being ready to be called upon in whatever situation.”

Haskell, erstwhile state football Player of the Year with Susquehanna Valley, has made a significant splash in his debut BU season. He is a .307 batter with four doubles and two home runs to go with fabulous defensive contributions. A highly regarded recruit from BU's backyard, Haskell has perhaps exceeded expectations.

“What he has provided us is really a great athlete,” Sinicki said. “And his willingness to move from the infield to the outfield, and specifically to a position he’s really never played before, center field, speaks volumes for who he is as a young man — and he has really excelled out there.

“He’s this generation’s version of C.J. Krowiak, exact same type of kid. High school infielder, but his athleticism plays up in the outfield because he can use it more — go get the ball.”

Those aware of Union-Endicott High graduate Krowiak’s value to the Bearcats before 2018 graduation grasp the nature of that praise for Haskell. Krowiak closed up in 2018 with 202 hits (ninth all-time), 138 runs (sixth) and 38 doubles (ninth) — not accounting for stellar, seemingly effortless-yet-stylish center field play.

Senior shortstop and America East Most Outstanding Player Jake Evans (.386) and conference Rookie of the Year Evin Sullivan (.350, 41 RBI) have been among stalwarts for a BU squad that was to begin 12 hours’ worth of travel beginning with a noon-ish bus Wednesday to Newark and extending to a flight to San Francisco.

BU, winner in six of its last seven games, competed in the AE Tournament minus All-AE first baseman Connor Aoki and No. 2 pitcher Gabe Driscoll due to injuries. Sinicki offered no update on their potential availability at Stanford.

The Bearcats’ lone previous venture to California was a visit to Fresno in March 2006.

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This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Binghamton University's baseball team faces tough test in NCAAs