ORONO, Maine - Maine (10-28, 6-7 America East) stretched a 4-3 lead with five runs in the eighth inning to pull away from visiting Binghamton baseball (16-22, 6-11 AE) 9-3 Saturday afternoon at Mahaney Diamond. 

The Bearcats scored single runs in the fifth and seventh innings to pull within one, 4-3, and then had the tying run on base in the top of the eighth before a double play ended the threat. Maine put the game away in the bottom of the inning with five runs on just three hits. 

Maine's big blow came in the fourth inning - a two-out, three-run home run that gave them the lead for good, 3-1. All three runs were unearned as a BU infield error kept the inning alive. 

Senior starter Nelson Berkwich was the hard-luck loser despite not allowing an earned run in 6.0 innings. Berkwich held Maine to five hits and struck out six and in the process, lowered his season ERA to 4.58. 

Junior third baseman Devan Bade had two RBIs to pace BU's offense, which was held to six hits. Bade had an RBI single in the fifth and added a sacrifice fly in the eighth. Junior catcher Zach Rogacki had the other RBI - a run-scoring double in the first that gave the Bearcats an early 1-0 lead. Senior center fielder Tommy Reifler had two hits. 

The teams finish up the three-game set with an 1 a.m. game Sunday.