Binghamton University Athletics

ALBANY, N.Y. - Junior starter Conner Griffin pitched five scoreless innings and Binghamton baseball (25-18, 14-5 America East) ended the game early with nine runs in the final two frames to roll over host UAlbany (13-29, 8-11 AE) 12-2 Friday afternoon at Varsity Field.

With the victory, the Bearcats extended their lead atop the America East to three games with just five remaining in the regular season. 

Sophomores Tommy Popoff and Matt Bolton drove in three runs apiece and Binghamton had contributions throughout the lineup with seven different players recording hits and all nine reaching base at least once. 

Bolton started the scoring with a one-out RBI double in the first inning, scoring sophomore second baseman Sean Sweeney, who had walked. With two outs, Bolton trotted home with a second run on a balk call. The Bearcats made it 3-0 on a solo home run by junior DH Zach Anderson to lead off the second inning. It was Anderson's sixth of the season.  

With the Bearcats ahead 3-0, both teams moved through four scoreless middle innings before Binghamton put the game away with four runs in the seventh and five more closing runs in the eighth. UAlbany got on the board with two runs in the eighth but the 10-run rule took effect and the game was halted after eight.

In the seventh, Bolton made it 4-0 on a bases loaded sacrifice fly and Popoff followed with a 3-run blast to left field. He sent a 1-0 pitch over the wall for his fifth home run of the season. 

In the eighth, the Bearcats added five more runs - two on wild pitches and two on RBI singles by Sweeney and Bolton. 

Griffin, meanwhile, lowered his season ERA to 4.93 and ran his strikeout total to 55 (2nd in AE) with seven setdowns. Opponents are hitting just .213 off him - best of all qualifying pitchers in the conference. Junior reliever Jake Dally worked two scoreless innings and sophomore Vincent Luther finished the game with a strikeout and double play. 

With his three-RBI day, Popoff took over the America East lead with 44 RBI. 

The teams continue the series with a 4 p.m. start on Saturday.