NORFOLK, Va. ‘ Zach Groh picked up where he left off last season, while Scott Diamond and the Bearcat defense showed they might still have some kinks to work out.

The Binghamton baseball team (1-2) lost two out of three games this weekend at Norfolk State (9-6). The Bearcats split their double header on Saturday, losing 12-5 before winning the nightcap 2-1. BU then lost the rubber match Sunday, 8-4.

Junior left-hander Diamond was roughed up in the first game, allowing five runs and 10 hits in four innings. The Bearcats then tied up the game with a two-out, five-run rally in the fifth inning. Senior second baseman Matt Simek highlighted the inning with a three-run home run, and finished the day 3-for-4 with three RBIs.

NSU broke the game open with seven runs in the fifth.

In the second game, reigning AE Pitcher of the Year Groh pitched six innings of one-run ball and junior right-hander Khalid Afify came in to record the save. Senior first baseman Brendon Hitchcock went 2-4 and drove in both Bearcat runs.

On Sunday, Norfolk State took advantage of some BU errors and scored eight straight runs. Senior Mike Van Gorder took the loss for Binghamton, going 4.2 innings and allowing six runs, only two of them earned.

Ryan James and Pat Haughie had two hits each for the Bearcats.

BU plays next at Radford on March 9.