VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton baseball belted four home runs and remained unbeaten in America East play with a 7-4 win over visiting Albany (8-14, 1-3 AE) Friday afternoon at Varsity Field. The Bearcats (8-15, 4-0) won for the sixth time in their last eight games and moved to 4-0 in league play for the first time since 2007.

Junior first baseman Brendan Skidmore went 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI and senior third baseman David Schanz and sophomore catcher Jason Agresti each hit a solo shot to fuel BU's 10-hit attack. The Bearcats built a 7-1 lead for junior starter Jake Cryts (W, 2-3), who notched the win by scattering eight hits and three runs in 5.2 innings. Senior closer Rob Hardy went the final 3.1 innings for his first save.

Schanz gave BU a quick 1-0 lead when he deposited a 1-1 pitch into BU's left field bullpen in the bottom of the first inning. After Albany tied it at 1-1, BU erupted for four runs on four consecutive two-out hits in the bottom of the third. After Schanz drove in his second run with a sacrifice fly, Skidmore drilled the first pitch he saw over the wall in left center, scoring senior second baseman Reed Gamache, who had walked. Junior left fielder Eddie Posavec tripled to right center and scored when Agresti roped an RBI single through the left side. 

The Bearcats tacked on two more in the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out, Skidmore hit a 1-0 pitch into the bullpen and two batters later, Agresti sent a deep shot over the wall in left center, giving BU a 7-1 cushion. 

Albany chipped away, however, with two runs in the sixth and another in the seventh and the Great Danes actually outhit BU 12-10. A key defensive play in the sixth inning prevented more damage. Albany rapped five hits off Cryts and Hardy and the final single to center plated a run before sophomore CJ Krowiak came up firing. Agresti applied the tag on a close play at the plate to fend off another run and strand two on the base paths. 

Hardy kept the Great Danes off the board in the eighth and ninth innings, helped by a great diving catch in the ninth by Gamache.

Skidmore hit his team-high fifth and sixth home runs of the season. He has eight RBI in his last five games and is hitting .373 over his last 17 games. Agresti went 2-for-4 with his second home run and two RBI. Schanz drove in a pair and sophomore DH Pat Britt added two hits.

The teams will play a doubleheader beginning at noon Saturday to complete the three-game series. Sophomore Jacob Wloczewski (1-0, 0.50 ERA) will start the nine-inning opener and senior Mike Bunal (1-3, 6.30 ERA) will work the seven-inning nightcap. Albany will counter with freshman lefty Kenny McLean (1-2, 2.12 ERA) and junior right-hander Stephen Woods (3-1, 5.58 ERA).