VESTAL, N.Y. - Just 12 games into the 2018 campaign, Binghamton baseball will start conference play when the two-time reigning America East regular season champion Bearcats (3-9) travel to Long Island to face Stony Brook (7-7) in a three-game weekend set. The teams are scheduled to play a twinbill Saturday beginning at noon and finish up with a single game at noon on Sunday. 

Binghamton is a combined 34-9 against conference foes over the last two years. But the team's 15-4 run against America East opponents last year included an 0-2 mark against the Seawolves, who have been BU's primary rival in the last decade. The two teams have combined to win 10 of the last 11 regular season titles with the Bearcats claiming six and Stony Brook winning four. 

The Bearcats have been slow out of the gate this spring and have dropped five straight, including a three-game sweep at VCU last weekend. Six of the team's nine defeats have come by two or fewer runs, however. Binghamton has played without several injured starters and has a team batting average of .218 and a pitching ERA of 5.27. 

Senior catcher Jason Agresti leads BU with a .366 average. He has a team-high six doubles, six RBI and an excellent .480 on-base percentage. Junior outfielder Anthony Meduri is hitting .324 with five RBI. 

On the mound, senior Game 2 starter Nick Wegmann has a 3.48 ERA - the best amoung BU's starting core. The bullpen has been strong with a 4.35 ERA. Sophomore Jake Miller is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in four appearances. Freshman Reid VanScoter (3.60 ERA) has nine strikeouts in 10.0 innings. 

Stony Brook is coming off a three-game sweep at the hands of Wagner last weekend. The Seawolves have lost six of their last seven games, but three of those defeats came against No. 1 Florida. 

The Seawolves return five position starters and four all-conference selections from last year's 26-26 team that went 10-12 in conference play to finish third. Game 1 starter, Brian Hermann, was a first team all-star as a freshman. Sophomore outfielder Michael Wilson leads the team with a .317 average and eight RBI. Stony Brook has a .254 team batting average and a 5.32 pitching ERA. 

Stony Brook leads the head-to-head series (since 2002), 42-31-1. Since 2013, Stony Brook holds a slight 13-10-1 edge. Two years ago, the Bearcats went 4-0 against Stony Brook en route to the team's fourth NCAA tournament berth. 

Pitching Matchups
Game 1: RHP Jacob Wloczewski (0-3, 7.02 ERA) vs. RHP Brian Hermann (2-2, 5.03 ERA) (9 inn.)
Game 2: LHP Nick Wegmann (1-3, 3.48 ERA) vs. RHP Bret Clarke (1-2, 2.50 ERA) (7 inn.)
Game 3: RHP Nick Gallagher (0-3, 9.75 ERA) vs. TBA (9 inn.)