VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton baseball resumes conference play this weekend when the Bearcats (8-10, 1-1 America East) head east on I-88 to face longtime SUNY rival Albany (8-11, 1-2 AE). The teams will play a doubleheader beginning at noon on Saturday and then finish with a single game Sunday at noon.

Binghamton has won seven of its last 11 games and began conference play with a twinbill split against Maine last Sunday. On Tuesday, BU traveled to State College and lost a tight 5-3 game to Big Ten member Penn State. 

Junior second baseman Alex Baratta leads the team with a .333 average. Sophomore center fielder Shane Marshall is hitting .320 with a team-high nine RBI. Marshall is hitting .377 in his last 13 games. Junior left fielder Daniel Franchi is coming off a three-hit game against Penn State and he has recorded a hit in 12 of 17 games played. Senior outfielder Sean Trenholm (9 RBI) shares the RBI lead with Marshall as Binghamton has five players with seven or more RBI. 

Senior Game 1 starter Nick Gallagher (0-3, 5.54 ERA) has struck out 28 batters in 26 innings. Junior Game 2 starter Ben Anderson (3-1, 2.90 ERA), two-time America East Pitcher of the Week, has allowed just two earned runs in his last 18 innings. He continues to lead the America East in strikeouts with 42 in 31 innings. 

Albany is coming off back-to-back midweek non-conference wins over UMass (7-6) and Iona (5-4). The Great Danes have played five one-run games already this season, including two in a tight conference-opening series at Hartford on March 16-17. The Hawks took two of three in that series. Albany ranks second in the America East in hitting (.262) and third in pitching (6.31). Last year, the Great Danes nosed out BU for the sixth and final playoff spot and went 1-2 in the conference tournament.  

First team all-conference pitcher Dominic Savino (0-1, 3.86 ERA) is back to anchor the pitching unit. Sophomore outfielder Josh Loeffler is batting .375 with nine RBI. Junior outfielder Marc Wangenstein is hitting .320 with a league-leading 23 RBI. 

Albany leads the all-time series, which began in 1950, 63-55. Since both teams entered the America East in 2002, Binghamton leads 43-32. The Great Danes, however, have won three of the last four meetings.

SATURDAY, March 30 - noon (DH)
Game 1 - RHP Nick Gallagher (0-3, 5.54 ERA) vs. RHP John Clayton (2-1, 6.08 ERA) (9 innings) Live Stats Live Video
Game 2 - RHP Ben Anderson (3-1, 2.90 ERA) vs. RHP Dominic Savino (0-1, 3.86 ERA) (7 innings) Live Stats Live Video

SUNDAY, March 31 - noon
TBA vs. TBA Live Stats Live Video