ALBANY, N.Y. – Binghamton baseball (23-17, 9-8 America East) scored four runs in the eighth inning and held off Albany (8-28-1, 2-15 AE) 7-5 Saturday afternoon at Varsity Field.

The Bearcats jumped ahead early with single runs in the second, third and fourth innings. After Albany got one back in the seventh, BU countered with the deciding four runs in the eighth. Albany scored five runs in their last three at-bats before senior closer Jack Collins recorded a game-ending strikeout with the tying run at the plate.

Senior starter Gabe Driscoll (W, 6-0) scattered four hits and one run in 6.1 innings to remain unbeaten on the season. He struck out five and worked out of trouble by stranding Great Dane runners in the first, third and fourth innings. In the fourth, he worked around a one-out double with back-to-back strikeouts and then got a double-play in the sixth to register another scoreless frame.

Ahead 3-1 in the eighth, BU used RBIs from senior left fielder Cavan Tully, junior center fielder Tommy Reifler and sophomore second baseman Nick Roselli (his team-high 44^th) to pad its lead.

Albany rallied with three runs after two were out in the eighth. The Danes then scored another run in the ninth to keep the outcome in doubt until the final out.

In the second, senior first baseman Kevin Gsell singled with one out and junior outfielder Mike Gunning followed with his 14^th double of the season. Back-to-back hit-by-pitches loaded the bases and brought in the first run with graduate DH Zachary Taylor taking the second plunk to record an RBI.

In the third, Reifler delivered a one-out solo home run to double BU's lead. It was his second of the season.

Gunning tacked on a third run with a leadoff home run in the fourth. It was his fourth homer of the season and extended BU's lead to 3-0.

Reifler wound up 2-for-3 with two RBI. He raised his season average to .396, second-highest in the America East. Gsell, Tully and Gunning had two hits apiece. 

The Bearcats missed chances to extend their cushion by hitting into inning-ending double plays in three of four middle innings and stranding 11 baserunners in the game.

The teams wrap up the series with a rubber game at noon Sunday. Senior Ryan Bryggman will be on the hill.