VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton baseball heads down to Johnson City, Tenn. for three games this weekend on campus of East Tennessee State University. The Bearcats (2-4) will face Siena (1-5) on Friday before meeting the host Bucs (6-2) on Saturday and Sunday afternoons at Thomas Stadium. All three games have noon starts and there will be no video. 

The Bearcats took two of three at Elon (N.C.) last weekend to get in the win column. As a team, Binghamton has a .221 batting average and a 4.32 pitching ERA. Graduate Ryan Packard owns a paltry 1.00 ERA after his first two outings as a Bearcat. He has 11 strikeouts in 9.0 innings and has moved into the No. 1 starting role. Freshman No. 2 Brady Bouchard is this week's America East Pitcher and Rookie of the Week after tossing six scoreless innings in a win over Elon. 

In the batter's box, senior catcher Evin Sullivan leads the team with seven RBI. Graduate first baseman Freddy Forgione is hitting a team-high .333 and has an on-base percentage of .478. 

This is the first of two meetings with Siena this spring (March 18). The Saints are coming off a 9-8 extra-innings win over Bradley last Sunday - a win that snapped a five-game losing streak to start the season. Siena was picked to finish 11th (of 13) in the MAAC preseason poll after going 12-40 last season (8-16 MAAC). The team has 14 newcomers this season, including 11 transfers. The Saints are hitting .217 and have a 10.26 ERA.

East Tennessee State has won three straight and six of eight to start the season. The Bucs are hitting .327 and have a 3.49 pitching ERA. The team was picked to finish fourth (of eight) in the Southern Conference after going 36-20 last spring and reaching the tournament semifinals. Six players were named to the SoCon preseason team, headed by Pitcher of the Year selection (and Sunday starter) Michael Harpster. 


Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday, Feb. 28 - noon 
RHP Ryan Packard (0-0, 1.00 ERA) vs. RHP Alistair Morin (0-1, 2.25 ERA) | Live Stats

Saturday, March 1 - noon
RHP Brady Bouchard (1-0, 5.40 ERA) vs. RHP Jace Hyde (1-0, 0.84 ERA) | Live Stats

Sunday, March 2 - noon
RHP Colin Rhein (0-2, 5.62 ERA) vs. RHP Michael Harpster (1-1, 6.43 ERA) | Live Stats