ALBANY, N.Y. - Sophomore right-hander Nick Gallagher scattered four hits over 6.1 innings and Binghamton baseball (14-7, 4-2 America East) scored seven runs over the final four innings to defeat host Albany 7-2 Friday afternoon in the first game of the weekend series. The Bearcats have won 14 of their last 18 games.

The Great Danes (11-15, 3-7 AE) took an early lead with two runs on just one hit in the bottom of the third inning. But after being blanked for the first five frames, BU struck for four runs in the top of the sixth to forge ahead.

In a return to his hometown, sophomore third baseman Justin Yurchak drew a leadoff walk and senior first baseman Brendan Skidmore was hit by pitch putting two men on. Junior catcher Jason Agresti began a string of four-straight RBIs with his run-scoring single to center. Senior right fielder Eddie Posavec followed with an RBI bunt single and freshman DH Justin Drpich delivered another RBI single to put BU ahead 3-2. Junior second baseman Luke Tevlin plated the fourth run with a sacrifice fly.

Gallagher (W, 4-1), meanwhile, continued to stifle Albany. He blanked the Great Danes for five of his six innings and wound up with eight strikeouts. Ranked eighth in the nation in ERA entering the game, he exited with a 1.36 mark and a conference-best fourth win.   

Ahead 4-2, BU tacked on a run in the seventh and two more in the eighth for the final margin. In the seventh, junior center fielder CJ Krowiak singled, stole second and went to third on an error by the catcher. He wound up scoring on a grounder by Yurchak. 

Albany had the tying run on base in the bottom of the seventh as Gallagher put two on before giving way to junior Joe Orlando, who worked into and out of a bases-loaded predicament. Orlando got a lineout and a grounder to first to extinguish the threat and leave the bases loaded. Orlando (save, 1) worked the final 2.2 innings, struck out two and didn't allow a hit. 

Iin the bottom of the eighth, BU used RBI singles by Tevlin (2-for-3, 2 RBI) and senior left fielder Darian Herncane to stretch its margin.

Agresti wound up 3-for-5 with an RBI, Krowiak added three hits and Drpich was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

The teams will play a doubleheader beginning at noon on Saturday. Junior lefty Nick Wegmann (2-3, 3.10 ERA) will start the opener and junior right-hander Jacob Wloczewski (1-1, 4.64 ERA) will pitch the seven-inning finale.