VESTAL, N.Y. - After more than a year away, Binghamton baseball opens its 2021 season with a series at Hartford this weekend. The Bearcats and Hawks will play doubleheaders beginning at noon on Saturday and Sunday at Fiondella Field in West Hartford. 

The opening series begins a conference schedule that features 40 games set over 10 weekends. The doubleheaders will consist of a seven-inning game followed by a nine-inning game. 

Binghamton and Hartford were picked to tie for second in the America East preseason poll, behind reigning champion Stony Brook. The Bearcats have won two titles in the last four years and the Hawks were the 2018 champions. 

All-conference players Shane Marshall, Alex Baratta and Thomas Babalis are back for BU, which returns 24 letterwinners, including seven position starters, from last season. The entire starting infield returns intact, including senior 3B Justin Drpich, junior shortstop Jake Evans and sophomore 1B Kevin Gsell. Senior left fielder Daniel Franchi and senior catcher T.J. Wegmann further showcase the team's veteran-laden lineup.  

The last time the Bearcats played a conference game was 22 months ago - a 7-2 win at Maine on May 18, 2019. 

Hartford went 6-6 in the abbreviated 2020 season. Like BU, the Hawks have three all-conference players on their roster, including the 2018 Pitcher of the Year in Nicholas Dombkowski. In its last full season (2019), Hartford went 11-13 in conference play to finish sixth. That team won two tournament games (at Binghamton) before the host Bearcats eliminated them.  

Binghamton leads the all-time series, 53-16, and has won 14 of the last 17 head-to-head, including five straight. At Fiondella Field however, Hartford has won seven of the last 10 in the series. 

Weekend Matchups
Saturday, March 20 - noon (DH)
Game 1 (7 inn.): LHP Thomas Babalis (B) (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. LHP Nicholas Dombkowski (H) (0-0, 0.00 ERA) | Live Stats | Video
Game 2 (9 inn.): RHP Ryan Bryggman (B) (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs.  RHP Ken Turner (H) (0-0, 0.00 ERA) | Live Stats | Video 

Sunday, March 21 - noon (DH)
Game 1 (7 inn.): RHP Jack Collins (B) (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Nathan Florence (H) (0-0, 0.00 ERA) | Live Stats | Video
Game 2 (9 inn.): RHP Josh Kopcza (B) (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Tim Blaisdell (H) (0-0, 0.00 ERA) | Live Stats | Video