### UAlbany Baseball’s Journey Concludes in the America East Championship
The season came to a bittersweet end for the **fifth-seeded University at Albany baseball team**, which fell in two consecutive games during the America East Championship held at **Mahaney Diamond** in Orono, Maine. The team made a commendable effort to reach the semifinals, but unfortunately, they were unable to secure a victory when it mattered most.
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#### Game Highlights
**Score Recap:**
– **Game 1:** No. 5 UAlbany 6, No. 3 Binghamton 21
– **Game 2:** No. 5 UAlbany 2, No. 1 Bryant 8
**Team Records:**
– UAlbany: 22-32 (10-14 America East)
– Binghamton: 28-23 (13-11 America East)
– Bryant: 35-18-1 (18-6 America East)
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### A Tale of Two Games
#### **Game 1: A Rollercoaster of Emotion**
In the opening game against the **Binghamton Bearcats**, UAlbany found themselves on the defensive from the start.
– **Ethan Nardacci** took the mound, but after an initial lead, Binghamton swiftly retaliated with seven runs in the second inning, thrusting UAlbany into an 8-2 hole.
– UAlbany mounted a spirited attempt at a comeback, scoring three times in the fifth inning. **Kyle Stephens** and **Michael Maggio** were key players, each contributing to the rally. However, Binghamton responded fiercely, scoring four runs in the bottom of the same inning to stretch their lead to 15-5.
– The game concluded with UAlbany suffering a heavy loss, the final score a humbling 21-6.
#### **Game 2: A Closer Encounter**
Their second game against **Bryant** started on shaky ground as well.
– UAlbany’s **Tyler Kneller** struggled against a formidable Bryant lineup, which jumped to a commanding 6-0 lead, featuring a three-run homer from **Brandyn Durand** and a two-run shot from **Charlie Saul**.
– Despite showing resilience and scoring two runs with back-to-back homers from **Anthony Scarabino** and **Cooper Loyal**, UAlbany couldn’t close the gap and finished the game losing 8-2.
### Coach’s Reflections
Head Coach [**Jon Mueller**](https://ualbanysports.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/jon-mueller/2339) expressed pride in his team’s growth, highlighting their journey from being underestimated at the start of the season to competing strongly in the tournament. “We put ourselves in a deep hole in both games. We were not able to mount a big enough rally in game two to close the gap. Super proud of the seniors, the team, and our staff for all the hard work,” he remarked. The dedication of the five seniors was particularly noted, as they provided leadership and set an example for the younger players.
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#### **Key Performers**
– **Game 1 Standouts:**
– **Ryan Packard** (Binghamton) – Significant contributions on the mound.
– **Kyle Stephens** – Instrumental in UAlbany’s attempts to rally.
– **Game 2 Highlights:**
– **Brandyn Durand** (Bryant) – Showed exceptional power at the plate.
– **Anthony Scarabino** – Sparked UAlbany’s offense with a timely home run.
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### Looking Ahead
With this loss, UAlbany’s season officially draws to a close. The determination displayed by the players throughout the year leaves much for the team to build on moving forward. For updates, highlights, and to keep in touch with the UAlbany baseball community, follow the team on [X](https://twitter.com/UAlbanyBaseball), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ualbanybaseball/), and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/UAlbanyBaseball).
