VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton baseball continues its stretch of five straight non-conference games when the Bearcats (21-14) welcome Big South member Longwood (24-17) for a weekend series. The teams wil play a doubleheader Friday beginning at 3 p.m. and then finish the series with a single game either Saturday or Sunday afternoon, whichever day yields the better weather. 

The Bearcats had their NCAA-leading 11-game win streak snapped in a 10-6 loss to Cornell on Tuesday, but the team has still won 14 of its last 17 games. Sophomore catcher Tommy Popoff has a team-high 28 RBI and sophomore center fielder Matt Bolton is batting .336 with 17 extra-base hits and 28 RBI. Popoff was named America East Player of the Week after driving in seven runs in a 4-0 week. Sophomore right fielder Braylen Gonzalez ranks second in the conference with a .491 on-base percentage. The Bearcats are hitting .265 as a team (4th in AE), have a 6.09 pitching ERA (4th) and lead the conference with a .973 fielding percentage and 33 double plays, which ranks 15th in the nation.          

Longwood has won three straight after dropping three in a row. The Lancers sit in third place (of nine) in the Big South with an 8-7 mark. The team ranks second in the Big South in pitching with a stellar 4.38 ERA. Longwood is eighth in hitting (.260) and seventh in fielding (.966). They have stolen 110 bases (2.7/game). Longwood's senior closer JR Fordham has seven saves and a 1.33 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 27 innings. Graduate first baseman Jon Howard leads the team with nine home runs and 36 RBI. 

The Lancers lead the all-time series, which dates back to 1992, 7-3. The teams last played during 2020 when Binghamton took two of three one week before COVID halted the season. Before that, Longwood swept a season-opening series in 2010. 

Probable Pitching Matchups

Friday, April 24
Game 1 - 3 p.m. 
RHP Conner Griffin (1-2, 5.30 ERA) vs. LHP Jaxon Lloyd (4-2, 2.83 ERA) | Live Video | Live Stats
Game 2 - 6 p.m. (approx.)
RHP Jackson Mitchell (2-0, 3.45 ERA) vs. RHP Brady Hoover (3-3, 5.19 ERA) | Live Video | Live Stats

Saturday, April 26 (2 p.m.) or Sunday, April 27 (1 p.m.)
RHP Mason Holloway (2-2, 4.75 ERA) vs. RHP Joe Castrichini (2-2, 5.79 ERA) | Live Video | Live Stats