WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - Host Hartford (11-19, 6-4 America East) rallied from a 4-0 hole and scored the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning to edge Binghamton baseball (9-16-1, 5-5 AE) 5-4 in the series opener Friday afternoon at Fiondella Field. The teams will finish up the series with a doubleheader beginning at noon Saturday.

The Bearcats got off to a great start with one run in the first inning and three in the top of the second to stake out a 4-0 lead. But Hartford countered with three in the bottom of the second, tied the game with a run in the sixth and won it with a leadoff single, sacrifice and RBI double in the eighth.

After collecting five hits in the first two innings, BU bats went quiet the rest of the way with just three singles over the last seven innings.   

Hartford's win snapped BU's nine-game win streak head-to-head and also stopped the Bearcats' season-best six-game unbeaten streak. 

In the first inning, BU took advantage of a leadoff single by junior right fielder Anthony Meduri. Four batters later, senior first baseman Luke Tevlin hit a two-out RBI single to right center to give the Bearcats a 1-0 lead. 

In the second, BU got three more runs on three hits. Junior left fielder Sean Trenholm led off with a single and went to second on an error. Freshman second baseman Jake Evans drew a walk and sophomore third baseman Justin Drpich followed with a single to load the bases. Meduri then plated the second run of the game with a sacrifice fly. Senior center fielder CJ Krowiak made it 3-0 with an RBI groundout and senior catcher Jason Agresti completed the uprising with an RBI single. 

But Hartford scored three runs in the bottom of the second on a walk, double, triple and two groundouts. The Bearcats held the slim lead until the sixth, when the Hawks took advantage of a leadoff walk and a two-out double to tie it at 5-5. Binghamton used a pair of double plays and a caught stealing in the first five innings to help its defense but the offense couldn't fire up. 

Meduri went 3-for-4 with an RBI and Tevlin went 2-for-4 with an RBI. 

Junior starter Nick Gallagher went 5.0 innings and allowed three runs on five hits.