VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton baseball plays its final three conference games with high stakes when the Bearcats (16-27-1, 8-13 America East) host UMBC (19-24, 9-9 AE) in a three-game series this weekend at the Baseball Complex. Rain on Saturday has necessitated a schedule change. The teams will now play a single game at 7 p.m. Saturday night and fit in the doubleheader on Sunday beginning at 1 p.m.  

Binghamton has won six of its last eight games and is trying to make a late push for a postseason berth. The Bearcats realistically need at least two wins in this final series to have a chance. 

Before Saturday night's game (approx. 6:40 p.m.), BU will honor its nine seniors: Jason Agresti, Pat Britt, Jake Erhard, CJ Krowiak, Joe Orlando, Paul Rufo, Luke Tevlin, Nick Wegmann and Jacob Wloczewski. The class has won two America East regular season titles (2016, 2017) and made one trip to the NCAA Regionals (2016).

On Tuesday, BU walloped Siena in a doubleheader, 9-1 and 10-0. Binghamton pounded Siena pitching for 19 runs on 24 hits. The Bearcats scored five runs in the first three innings of each game to pull away early from a Saints team that is a regular contender in the MAAC.

Junior righty Nick Gallagher (3-6, 5.01 ERA) will start Saturday night's opener. On Sunday, senior left-hander Nick Wegmann (3-7, 4.10 ERA) will start the first game and senior right-hander Jacob Wloczewski (2-6, 6.59 ERA) will start Game 2.

The Bearcats are hitting .248 as a team and have a conference-best 4.58 pitching ERA.

The bullpen has been particularly strong with Rob Brown (1.17), Ben Anderson (1.71) and Reid VanScoter (4.25) getting the most work.  

UMBC, the reigning America East champions, brought themselves back to the AE back last weekend with three losses at first-place Hartford. Earlier this week, the Retrievers beat Delaware 8-6 and lost to Coppin State 13-11.

The team is batting .256 (4th in AE) and has a pitching ERA of 5.49 (5th). They have committed a conference-high 55 errors.

Junior second baseman A.J. Wright leads the America East with 19 doubles. Freshman first baseman Joey Goodwin is hitting .396 in 27 games. Senior catcher Zack Bright is batting .311 with four home runs and 29 RBI.  Today's starters will be senior right-hander Matt Chanin (1-4, 5.97 ERA) in Game 1 and then senior righty Chase Bailey (2-4, 5.48 ERA).

Binghamton leads the all-time series 45-16. UMBC, however, has won 10 of the last 15 and took two of three in late March down in Baltimore.