VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton baseball (13-18, 9-2 America East) remained unbeaten at home (6-0) with a doubleheader sweep of Hartford (21-11, 5-6 AE) Saturday afternoon at Varsity Field. The first-place Bearcats posted wins of 5-3 and 12-1.

In the opener, BU shook off a 3-0 early deficit and scored the final five runs of the game. The Hawks used a four hits, including a two-run home run, to take a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning. In the fourth, Hartford chased Bearcats starter Jake Cryts and had the bases loaded with one out before a key defensive play turned the tide. With sophomore Nick Wegmann pitching, Hartford hit a fly ball to center field that sophomore CJ Krowiak caught. With Hartford's two lead runners both attempting to tag, Krowiak rifled a throw to third to nab the trail runner before the run crossed the plate, squashing the Hawks' threat.

Then in the bottom of the fourth, the Bearcats sent eight men to the plate and scored four runs on four hits. Junior left fielder Eddie Posavec and sophomore DH Pat Britt delivered RBI doubles and sophomore shortstop Paul Rufo added an RBI. Wegmann (W, 1-0) and senior closer Rob Hardy (3 IP, S, 3) shut down Hartford the rest of the way. Each reliever posted three strikeouts.

Posavec went 2-for-3 with an RBI and senior Reed Gamache, junior first baseman Brendan Skidmore and sophomore catcher Jason Agresti had two hits apiece. 

In Game 2, senior Mike Bunal tossed a four-hit complete game and BU erupted for 12 runs on 12 hits to complete the sweep. The Bearcats scored three runs in the second, one in the third, six in the fifth and two more in the sixth. 

Once again, a great defensive play in the top half of the inning sparked an offensive outburst in the bottom half. In the second inning, Hartford was threatening with a runner on and one out when Gamache dove and snared a hard-hit ball toward the middle. He made the flip to Rufo at second with his glove and Rufo turned the highlight-reel double play. In the bottom half, BU scored three runs on four hits to take a lead it wouldn't relinquish. Rufo executed a safety squeeze to bring in the first run before junior outfielder Darian Herncane and Krowiak added RBI singles.

In the big fifth inning, BU plated six runs on four hits. Rufo hit a clutch two-out, two-run single through the right side and after a bases-loaded walk, Krowiak added a two-run single. Rufo tacked on another two-run hit in the sixth - this time a double to left center that finished off the scoring.

Rufo went 2-for-2 with a career-high five RBI. Krowiak went 2-for-4 with three RBI and Gamache, Skidmore and Agresti had two hits each. Krowiak is hitting .391 with 12 RBI in 11 conference games. 

Bunal (W, 3-3) allowed one run and had five strikeouts. He is 3-0 with a 2.52 ERA in conference play.

The teams will wrap up the three-game weekend set with a single game at noon on Sunday. Sophomore Jacob Wloczewski (2-0, 1.80 ERA) will start for Binghamton.