VESTAL, N.Y. - First-place Binghamton baseball will host longtime SUNY rival Stony Brook in a battle between the top two teams in the America East this weekend. The teams will play a twinbill beginning at noon on Saturday and then complete the series with a single game on Sunday at Varsity Field. The Bearcats sit two games clear of the Seawolves in the standings. Binghamton is the lone team in the nation still unbeaten at home in 2016 (9-0).

The Bearcats (20-20, 12-3 AE) have won five straight and nine of their last 11. On Tuesday BU rallied from a 2-0 hole to beat host St. Bonaventure 4-2. Senior second baseman Reed Gamache went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI and freshman Nick Gallagher (W, 3-2) notched the win with four shutout innings. Gallagher allowed just one hit in relief of sophomore Nick Wegmann (4 IP, 3 hits, 2 runs).

Binghamton has raised its team batting average to .289 and lowered its pitching ERA to 5.36. The Bearcats are ninth in the nation in fielding percentage (.980).

Gamache is second in the America East in doubles (13), third in RBI (32) and fourth in hits (52). Junior first baseman Brendan Skidmore ranks second in home runs (8) and sixth in RBI (30). Sophomore center fielder CJ Krowiak is third in runs (34) and sixth in both hits (49) and stolen bases (10).

Junior Jake Cryts (4-4, 4.88 ERA) will start the opener and senior Mike Bunal (5-3, 4.57 ERA) will pitch the seven-inning nightcap. Bunal ranks second in the conference in strikeouts (8.56/game) and is 11th in the country with four complete games.

The Seawolves (20-20, 9-4 AE) have won each of their four conference series' this season, winning two of three against Hartford, UMass Lowell and UMBC after taking two against Maine to start league play. Like BU, Stony Brook has matchups with Maine and Albany left on its schedule after this weekend.

The team ranks fourth in the AE in hitting (.273), third in pitching (4.61 ERA) and second in fielding (.978). Sophomore left fielder Andrew Gazzola leads the team in average (.342), runs (30) and extra-base hits (14). Reigning first team all-conference OF Jack Parenty is hitting .301 with 24 RBI.

Senior Chad Lee (Game 1 starter, 5-2, 1.02 ERA) and freshman Bret Clarke (Game 2, 5-1, 2.01 ERA) give SBU a formidable 1-2 punch on the hill.   

Stony Brook leads the all-time series, 41-26-1. Last spring, the Seawolves went 4-1-1 in six games against the Bearcats.