VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton baseball plays its final home conference series of the spring when the Bearcats (21-14, 7-5 America East) host second-place UMBC (20-18, 9-6 AE) in a three-game set this weekend at the Bearcats Baseball Complex. The teams are now scheduled to play a single game Friday afternoon and a doubleheader on Saturday, with pending weather altering the weekend schedule.  

The Bearcats are coming off a 9-4 win over Siena on Tuesday — the team's ninth win the last 13 games. At the halfway point of the America East schedule, BU sits in fourth place, but is just a half-game out of second. After this weekend's series against UMBC, Binghamton will finish with three straight road series' to close out the regular season. The goal is a top-two playoff position, which means a first-round bye in the championship, which BU will host on May 24-27.

Junior center fielder Tommy Reifler continues to lead the conference in hitting with a .393 average. Sophomore third baseman Nick Roselli ranks fourth in RBI (37). Senior first baseman Kevin Gsell is fifth in batting with a .366 mark. Junior outfielder Mike Gunning leads the team with 11 doubles and 15 extra-base hits. Binghamton ranks first in fielding in the AE (.979) and is second in both hitting (.295) and pitching (5.44 ERA). The weekend rotation will be Thomas Babalis (3-2, 3.67), Gabe Driscoll (5-0, 3.98) and Ryan Bryggman (4-2, 6.33).

On Saturday, BU will honor its 10 seniors: Thomas Babalis, Tanner Beang, Ryan Bryggman, Jack Collins, Kyle Eskildsen, Kevin Gsell, Tanner Sinicki, Tommy Snyder, Zach Taylor and Cavan Tully. 

The Retrievers sit in a tie for second place in the conference standings halfway through the slate. UMBC dropped three to Maine, swept three from Albany, won two against NJIT, lost two against Bryant and last weekend, swept three from UMass Lowell. This week UMBC lost to Maryland 24-11 and beat Coppin State 6-5. They rank third in the conference in hitting (.293), fifth in pitching (6.53 ERA) and sixth in fielding (.960). Number one starter Luke Johnson is 5-1 with a league-leading 2.63 ERA. Senior catcher Tony Krueger is third in hitting (.364).

Binghamton leads the all-time series 56-24 and has a 25-12 advantage at home. But the teams have split the last eight encounters. Last season BU took two of three in both Vestal and Baltimore.    

Projected Weekend Matchups
Friday, April 28 - 2 p.m.  
LHP Thomas Babalis (BU) (3-2, 3.67 ERA) vs. RHP Luke Johnson (5-1, 2.63 ERA) | ESPN+ | Live Stats

Saturday, April 29 - noon (DH)  
Game 1: RHP Gabe Driscoll (BU) (5-0, 3.98 ERA) vs. LHP Jayden Shertel (3-4, 5.55 ERA) | ESPN3 | Live Stats
Game 2: RHP Ryan Bryggman (BU) (4-2, 6.33 ERA) vs. RHP Nick Remy (3-5, 5.93 ERA) | ESPN3 | Live Stats