VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton baseball kicks off its 24-game America East slate this weekend when the defending conference champion Bearcats (8-8) host 2022 runnerup UMass Lowell (3-14) in a three-game set. The teams will play single games Friday (3 p.m.), Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.) at the Bearcats Baseball Complex.  

The Bearcats had their four-game win streak snapped in Tuesday's 15-1 loss at Penn State. But BU has won eight of its last 12 and will bring its most wins into conference play (8) since 2013 (8-4). The team is hitting .298 (1st in AE) and has a 6.12 pitching ERA (2nd).

Junior outfielder Tommy Reifler ranks 28th in the country with a .436 batting average. Senior outfielder Cavan Tully is hitting .406 and sophomore third baseman Nick Roselli leads the team with 16 RBI. Binghamton's weekend rotation will be senior LHP Thomas Babalis (1-2, 5.92 ERA) on Friday, junior RHP Gabe Driscoll (2-0, 1.63 ERA) on Saturday and senior RHP Ryan Bryggman (2-2, 9.58 ERA) on Sunday. Driscoll ranks 29th in the country in ERA.

The series was originally slated to be hosted by Lowell but due to the recent snow and their natural grass surface, it was moved to Binghamton. The tradeoff means the final regular season series on May 18-20 now moves to Lowell.  

The River Hawks have played a difficult non-conference schedule that has given them a misleading overall record. UML began the spring with a series against No. 23 South Carolina and also faced 11th-ranked Virginia Tech and strong programs in James Madison and Florida Gulf Coast. 

The team is hitting .230 and has a pitching ERA of 9.99. Four all-conference players return from a 2022 team that won 28 games (15-15 in AE) and finished runnerup to the Bearcats at the conference tournament. Returning all-conference second baseman and leadoff hitter Jacob Humphrey is batting .343. All-conference outfielder and No. 3 hitter Gerry Siracusa has six extra-base hits and 12 RBI. 

Binghamton leads the all-time series 17-15, having won four of the last six, including both games at the America East tournament last May. The Bearcats are 11-4 all-time at home against the River Hawks and have won 10 of the last 11.

Projected Weekend Matchups
Friday, March 24 - 3 p.m.  
LHP Thomas Babalis (BU) (1-2, 5.92 ERA) vs. RHP Matt Draper (1-3, 4.18 ERA) | ESPN+ | Live Stats

Sunday, March 26 - noon (DH)  
Game 1 (7 inn.): RHP Gabe Driscoll (BU) (2-0, 1.63 ERA) vs. LHP Jacob Jette (1-1, 10.13 ERA) | ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game 2 (9 inn.): RHP Ryan Bryggman (BU) (2-2, 9.58 ERA) vs. RHP Nick DiRito (1-1, 8.40 ERA) | ESPN+ | Live Stats