Elon Baseball experienced a challenging game against Binghamton, displaying moments of brilliance but ultimately falling short. A ninth inning rally by Binghamton resulted in an 8-4 defeat for the Phoenix.
The game remained tight through the first five innings, with both teams locked at fourth runs apiece going into the ninth. Starting pitcher Justin Mitrovich, a junior expected to enter the MLB Draft after this season, experienced success by mixing speed and finesse, racking up 7 strikeouts and holding Binghamton scoreless.
On the opposing side, Binghamton’s starting pitcher matched Mitrovich’s prowess on the mound totaling 7 strikeouts, giving up zero runs and only 1 hit. When maintaining motivation during these early balance states, head coach Mike Kennedy said it was important to stick to the team’s game plan.
“It’s just kind of trust in their process, trust in your approach and try to get good pitches to hit,” Kennedy said.
A significant moment came in the sixth inning when Kennedy decided to pull Mitrovich due to reaching his pitch limit. Mitrovich also gave up the first run of the game in the sixth inning after loading the bases. This decision was part of a broader strategy to manage the pitchers’ workload early on season.
“He probably threw eight to 10 more pitches than I wanted him to throw,” Kennedy said.
The Phoenix, led by Jackson Alford, a junior college transfer, hit a double in the fourth inning, moving graduate student Will Vergantino to third. Following this, redshirt sophomore Vince Fattore hit another double, allowing both Alford and Vergantino to score, which tied the game. Alford finished the game scoring 2 runs, 2 hits and 1 run batted in. Fattore ended the game with 1 hit and 2 RBIs. Kennedy described this as a display of the team's fighting spirit.
“We got some veteran guys offensively that’ll keep battling, keep fighting,” Kennedy said.
Despite the late rally, execution issues in certain situations allowed Binghamton to score two back to back doubles and a single, which all brought runners home and points on the board. Binghamton scored 4 runs in the top of the ninth inning. Reflecting on these moments, Kennedy highlighted the need for better execution both offensively and defensively.
Despite a 1-4 start to the season, Kennedy said he has been impressed by Alford, who shifted from second base to left field due to an injury, and senior Alex Duffey, who scored a run and had a hit during the game.
Looking forward, Kennedy expressed confidence in the team’s preparation for the rest of the series against Binghamton.
“Nothing different, we try to be ourselves, take care of ourselves and be ready to go each time we go out there, there won't be an overhaul of the game plan by any means,” Kennedy said.
The Phoenix continue its battle with Binghamton and look to improve its record at 2 p.m. Feb. 22 at Latham Park.