VESTAL, N.Y. -  Binghamton baseball travels to Long Island for the first of two showdown series' against rival Stony Brook this weekend. The Bearcats (10-10, 10-10 America East) and Seawolves (20-11, 16-4 AE) will play doubleheaders at noon on Saturday and Sunday at Joe Nathan Field. The matchup features top-tier programs that have combined to win nine of the last 12 America East championships.

The Bearcats are coming off a doubleheader split at UMBC last weekend and currently sit in second place in the division "B" standings (behind Stony Brook) with four series' remaining in the regular season. The top two teams from the two divisions will advance to the four-team America East tournament, set to begin on May 27.

Binghamton ranks second in hitting (.266), third in pitching (4.66) and fourth in fielding (.967) in the conference. The Bearcats are the only team with three starting pitchers in the conference top-10 for ERA, led by sophomore Jack Collins (2-0, 2.56 ERA), who is fourth in ERA and second in opposing batting average (.194). Sophomore lefty and No. 1 starter Thomas Babalis (2-3, 3.52 ERA) is sixth in strikeouts with 36 in 30.2 IP. Sophomore Ryan Bryggman has allowed just five extra-base hits in 28 innings and junior Josh Kopcza ranks fifth in the AE in ERA (3.04). 

Offensively, sophomore first baseman Kevin Gsell leads the team with three home runs and 15 RBI in 16 games. Senior third baseman Justin Drpich and senior right fielder Daniel Franchi are both hitting a team-best .309. 

Stony Brook began its season nearly a month Binghamton (played 11 more games) and rolled through conference play seamlessly until dropping three of four against NJIT last weekend (three 1-run losses). The reigning America East champions (2019) have the top pitching staff in the league (3.76 ERA) and also rank second in fielding (.971) and third in hitting (.264). They are averaging nearly six runs a game.     

Senior No. 1 starter Sam Turcotte (5-2, 1.88 ERA) leads a strong pitching staff and third baseman Evan Giordano is hitting .375 with six home runs and a league-best 32 RBI. 

Since both teams joined the America East in 2002, Stony Brook holds a 50-34-1 lead in the series and has won 10 of the last 13 head-to-head. At Joe Nathan Field, the Seawolves are 31-15 in the series. 

Weekend Matchups
Saturday, May 1 - noon (DH)
Game 1 (7 inn.): LHP Thomas Babalis (B) (2-3, 3.52 ERA) vs. RHP Sam Turcotte (SBU) (5-2, 1.88 ERA) | Live Stats | Video
Game 2 (9 inn.): RHP Ryan Bryggman (B) (1-1, 6.11 ERA) vs. LHP Jared Milch (SBU) (3-2, 3.14 ERA) | Live Stats | Video 

Sunday, May 2 - noon (DH)
Game 1 (7 inn.): RHP Jack Collins (B) (2-0, 2.56 ERA) vs. RHP Brian Hermann (SBU) (2-2, 3.74 ERA) | Live Stats | Video
Game 2 (9 inn.): TBA (B) vs. RHP Nick DeGennaro (SBU) (4-2, 4.37 ERA) | Live Stats | Video