VESTAL, N.Y. - Riding a 5-1 stretch, Binghamton baseball (9-9) looks to continue its momentum in the conference-opening series this weekend against visiting Maine (4-15). The teams will play a single game at 3 p.m. Friday afternoon and a doubleheader beginning at noon on Saturday. Admission to all regular season home games is free, compliments of UHS Sports Medicine.  

The Bearcats have won five of their last six to reach the .500 mark as conference play begins. Now the 24-game America East slate begins with a matchup between the 2022 (Binghamton) and 2023 (Maine) champions, both looking to return to form after sub-par 2024 seasons. The Bearcats were picked second in the preseason poll (behind reigning champion Bryant) and Maine was picked third.

Binghamton is 4-1 at home, including Tuesday's 11-6 comeback win over Siena. The team has a .262 batting average (third in AE) and a 6.14 pitching ERA (second). Binghamton leads the conference and ranks eighth in the nation with a .984 fielding percentage. 

The Black Bears are coming off a 14-4 loss at Army on Wednesday. The Black Bears played a tight series at perennial NCAA team St. John's last weekend, losing a 16-inning game and a one-run contest. The team is sixth in the AE in hitting (.234), fifth in pitching (6.96 ERA) and sixth in fielding (.959).  

Maine leads the all-time series 47-41, thanks to eight wins in the last 10 matchups, including taking two of three last spring in Orono. In Vestal, the Black Bears own a 20-18 edge. The teams have played four one-run games in their last seven. 

UHS Sports Medicine is the presenting sponsor of Bearcats' baseball.

Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday, March 21 - 3 p.m. 
RHP Ryan Packard (1-0, 4.98 ERA) vs. RHP Colin Fitzgerald (2-2, 4.45 ERA) | Watch | Live Stats

Saturday, March 22 - noon (DH)
Game 1 (7 inn.): RHP Colin Rhein (2-3, 3.76 ERA) vs. LHP Caleb Leys (0-1, 5.50 ERA) Watch | Live Stats
Game 2 (9 inn.): Hayden Tarsia (1-1, 4.30 ERA) vs. RHP Gianni Gambardella (1-0, 6.17 ERA) Watch | Live Stats