VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton baseball looks to extend its conference win streak when the Bearcats (16-20, 6-9 America East) make the long trek to Orono to face reigning champion Maine (8-28, 4-7 AE) in a weekend series.

It's a matchup of the last two conference champions and top two contending teams from the preseason poll, although both are in unfamiliar territory down in the standings with four weeks remaining in the regular season. Thanks to a three-game sweep of UAlbany last weekend, BU has moved into fifth place and Maine stayed idle in sixth place after their bye weekend. The top six teams will advance to the America East Championship, held May 22-25 at the Bearcats Baseball Stadium.   

The Bearcats have been juggling injuries to their starting lineup all season. A total of 17 different position players have been required in the weekend starting lineup and six different pitchers have started conference games. Last year BU used just three pitching starters all conference season. Two of BU's top three run producers are currently out of the lineup. 

Binghamton is hitting .267 as a team and has a 5.52 pitching ERA - both third in the America East. The Bearcats lead the league with a .974 fielding percentage. 

Maine has lost eight in a row, including back-to-back non-conference games to Merrimack Tuesday and Wednesday. The Black Bears started the season 2-16 and also have been hit hard by injuries. The team lost two of three games to league-leading Bryant, UMass Lowell and last-place UAlbany and split two conference games with NJIT. 

Senior first baseman Jeremiah Jenkins, the reigning conference player of the year, leads the league in home runs (16) and is third in RBI (38). The Black Bears are hitting .261 (5th in AE) and have a 9.30 ERA (6th). 

Maine leads the head-to-head series 45-40 and won three of four last season, including a 6-1 win to capture the America East title. The Black Bears have a 21-15 edge in games played in Orono. 

Probable Pitching Matchups

Friday, April 26 - 3 p.m.
RHP Dan McAliney (1-1, 7.16 ERA) vs. RHP Jason Krieger (1-3, 6.29 ERA) | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats | Live Audio

Saturday, April 27 - 1 p.m.
LHP Nelson Berkwich (3-4, 5.14 ERA) vs. RHP Luc Lavigueur (1-2, 7.05 ERA) | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats | Live Audio

Sunday, April 28 - 11 a.m.
TBA vs. TBA | Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats | Live Audio