VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton baseball (19-17, 8-7 America East) carries a five-game win streak into its weekend conference series at UMass Lowell (14-25, 6-9 AE). The teams play Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoon at LeLacheur Park. 

With three series' remaining in the America East slate, the Bearcats are in fourth place in the standings, but just 1.5 games out of second. Binghamton swept a three-game set from NJIT last weekend. The Bearcats lead the conference in both hitting (.290) and fielding (.976) and rank fourth in pitching (6.73 ERA).  

The trio of freshman center fielder Matt Bolton (.361), senior catcher/outfielder Zach Rogacki (.359) and graduate first baseman Freddy Forgione (.352) rank 4-5-6 in the America East in hitting. Bolton is second with 52 hits. Senior third baseman Devan Bade ranks third with a team-high 37 RBI. Senior catcher Evin Sullivan is second in home runs (9), third in OPS (1.050) and fifth in slugging (.619).

Binghamton has four of the top-eight conference players in on-base percentage, headed by Forgione (5th, .464).   

The River Hawks sit in sixth place in the America East with a 6-9 mark. UML has dropped two of three in three straight weekend series' against Maine, UMBC and Bryant. Earlier in the season, however, they took two of three against Bryant and have been their strongest in Game 3s with two straight wins on the final day of the series. In their last outing, the River Hawks lost at Boston College 5-4 on Wednesday.  

UML ranks third in the conference in hitting (.280), fifth in fielding (.963) and sixth in pitching (7.72 ERA). Senior 3B and cleanup hitter Brandon Fish leads the team with a .348 average and 30 RBI. Returning all-conference outfielder Alex Luccini has a team-high six home runs and is batting .327.

The River Hawks were picked to finish fifth of seven in the preseason poll after reaching the semifinal round of last year's conference tournament.

Binghamton leads the all-time series, which began in 1999, 23-19. The River Hawks, however, have won four of the last six, and are 12-4 at home in the series.   

UHS Sports Medicine is the presenting sponsor of Bearcats' baseball.
 
Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday, April 25 - 6 p.m.
RHP Hayden Tarsia (2-2, 5.94 ERA) vs. RHP Alfred Mucciarone (1-3, 7.03 ERA) | Live Video | Live Stats
 
Saturday, April 26 – 5 p.m.
LHP Vincent Luther (0-0, 3.97 ERA) vs. LHP Brendan Holland (2-5, 9.12 ERA) | Live Video | Live Stats
 
Sunday, April 27 - noon
RHP Ryan Packard (3-3, 6.75 ERA) vs. RHP Nick Dirito (4-0, 4.19 ERA) | Live Video | Live Stats