UAlbany Baseball beats Vermont, heads to America East Championship Tournament

UAlbany Baseball Posts 5-4 Comeback Win Over Vermont in A-East Action

Burlington, Vt. – Senior second baseman Al Barbato finished 1-for-3 with two runs scored to lead UAlbany to a 5-4 win over Vermont in the finale of the America East Conference series on Sunday afternoon at Centennial Field. The Great Danes have secured a spot in the conference tournament, with final seeding to be determined on Monday.

UAlbany (26-27, AE 13-11) broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning, scoring two runs in the frame. After first baseman Steve Sayre and second baseman Al Barbato recorded back-to-back singles to start the inning, left fielder Mike Konstanty doubled down the left field line to send Sayre across home plate. Centerfielder Dave West followed with an RBI single that scored Barbato to give the Great Danes a 2-0 lead.

Vermont (21-29, AE 10-13) responded in the bottom half of the inning, as right fielder Nate Matusick led off with a double to right center. Jim Chapman scored Matusick with an RBI single two batters later to cut the Catamounts’ deficit in half. Bryan Rembisz, who was walked by UAlbany pitcher Cory Warrings, stole third to put himself in scoring position, and tied the game after coming home on a sacrifice fly by Ethan Paquette.

The Catamounts took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the eighth, scoring back-to-back runs on an RBI single by catcher Jeff Nolet and a fielder’s choice by Kyle Henry.

The Great Danes responded with three runs in the top of the ninth to reclaim the lead. Pinch-runner Tom Zink scored on a wild pitch while Chris Wood and Barbato tacked on runs off an RBI single by Phil Marchese to give the Great Danes a one-run lead.

Jeff Kaier picked up the win for UAlbany, after going 1.1 innings on the mound. Reliever Alexander Beaulieu recorded his ninth save of the season, getting the final two outs of the game.

Nolet went 3-for-4 with one RBI for Vermont. Henry tossed a complete game for the Catamounts, striking out five and allowing just two earned runs.

The America East Tournament will be held at Farmingdale State College in Farmingdale, N.Y., with Stony Brook serving as the host institution. UAlbany’s seeding in the championship will be determined on Monday, after Binghamton and Maine wrap up a conference series that was pushed back due to inclement weather.