VESTAL, N.Y. - First-place Binghamton baseball (17-7, 6-2 America East) hosts Maine (14-17, 3-3 AE) in a three-game weekend set at the Complex. The teams will play a doubleheader (9-inning then 7-inning game) beginning at noon on Saturday and then complete the series with a single game at 1 p.m. on Sunday. 

The Bearcats have won four in a row and eight of their last 10 games.

Junior shortstop Paul Rufo ranks third in the AE in batting (.347), eighth in slugging (.505) and 10th in on-base percentage (.398). Sophomore third baseman Justin Yurchak is third in on-base percentage (.455) and walks (22). Junior center fielder CJ Krowiak is fourth in stolen bases (10).

The team's rotation will begin with sophomore righty Nick Gallagher (4-1, 1.36 ERA), who leads the league and ranks 18th in the nation in ERA (No. 6 among underclassmen). Junior lefty Nick Wegmann (2-3, 2.57) will pitch Saturday's seven-inning Game 2 and junior right-hander Jacob Wloczewski (2-1, 3.49) is set to go in Sunday's finale.

The Black Bears have won eight of their last 10 games. They took three of four against MAAC member Manhattan and earlier this week, thumped Division III programs Thomas (11-3) and Maine-Farmington (12-2). In conference play, Maine lost two of three to Lowell and then won two of three over Hartford. The Black Bears are hitting .257 as a team and have a 4.97 pitching ERA. They are 7-2 at home and 1-11 on the road.

Junior catcher Christopher Bec leads the America East in hitting with a .383 average. He has 13 doubles and 15 RBI. Sophomore infielder Jeremy Pena has a team-high 19 RBI. Slated to start the three games this weekend are junior right-handers Justin Courtney (4-3, 3.42 ERA) and John Arel (1-0. 8.68) on Saturday and junior right-hander Jonah Normandeau (1-3, 4.50) on Sunday.

Maine leads the all-time series 33-29, though BU has won five of the last six games — all played last season.