Following nearly a month of losses, the Binghamton University baseball team has dug themselves out of a five-game losing streak with a pair of wins over University of Maryland, Eastern Shore this past weekend.

The last time the Bearcats won a game was against Dallas Baptist in the first game of a doubleheader on Feb. 21.

The intended three-game series between the Bearcats (3-6) and the Hawks (2-15) began with a doubleheader on Saturday. The Bearcats swept their opponents in a 4-1 victory during the first game, followed by a 13-1 blowout. Sunday’s game was rained out.

BU head coach Tim Sinicki was happy for the wins, but not in the way that they came.

“It was good to get a couple of wins,” he said. “But I don’t think we played particularly well and I don’t think [Maryland-Eastern Shore was] a particularly strong club.”

In the first game, sophomore catcher C.J. Lukaszewski led the Bearcats offense, going 2-2 with two RBI singles.

Senior third baseman Kyle Klee, who went 2-4, started things off for the Bearcats in the top of the second, with a lead-off single. After advancing to third off a single by freshman first baseman Dave Ciocchi, Klee scored off a single by Lukaszewski.

“[Klee] has done a good job,” Sinicki said. “He made some adjustments; he does a good job getting down in the count with two strikes and is able to take pitches. He is showing to be a mature hitter this year, which you would expect at this point in his career.”

Ciocchi, who went 1-2 with a walk, also crossed the plate in the second.

In the top of the third, junior left fielder Joe Charron stole second after being walked. Following a pop-up by Klee, in which Charron advanced to third, Ciocchi brought home Charron with a sacrifice fly to center field, putting the Bearcats up, 3-0.

The Hawks answered the Bearcats in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single by junior center fielder Phil Vaughn, which brought in senior Jorge Pichardo.

The run was the only one given up by senior Jeff Dennis, who pitched a complete game.

Dennis allowed only seven hits by Maryland-Eastern Shore, striking out five Hawks and walking two.

Ciocchi had started the sixth inning by drawing a walk. He advanced to second off a sacrifice bunt by senior Ken Jacobi. Binghamton put the game away when Ciocchi scored on a single to right field by Lukaszewski, for a final score of 4-1.

In the second game, Binghamton turned up the heat, downing the Hawks 13-1, including 15 hits to the Hawks two.

Junior Murphy Smith pitched seven innings for the Bearcats, giving up only one hit, which resulted in a run by the Hawks. Smith struck out six batters and walked one. Freshman Aaron Schuldt closed out the game, giving up one hit.

“[Smith] was dominant in that game,” Sinicki said. “He had a good mix of pitches going that game, threw with some power and was pitching inside on those guys. He was in control the whole time.”

Freshman pitcher John DesChamps, who started the game for the Hawks, gave up 13 hits, including seven runs. DesChamps was replaced by junior Carl Huber in the seventh, who gave up four runs.

Once again, Klee — going 3-for-5 this time around — started things off for the Bearcats with a single in the second. Klee advanced around the diamond to score by singles from senior Tom Baileys and sophomore catcher Jeff Skelhorne-Gross, and junior first baseman Matt Simone reached first on a fielder’s choice.

The Hawks responded in the third with a triple from sophomore right fielder Franklin Armstrong, who scored on a ground-out to second by senior teammate Tyler Love.

The following inning, the Bearcats rallied with four hits and three runs. Klee singled, followed by Skelhorne-Gross, who brought in Klee. Simone homered to left field before the inning ended.

In the fifth, Binghamton sophomore center fielder Corey Taylor slammed a shot over the left field wall. During the sixth, junior shortstop Jeff Abrams had a two-run home run to left with Skelhorne-Gross on base to give the Bearcats a 7-1 lead.

The final six runs came during the eighth inning.

Skelhorne-Gross, who went 3-for-3, led off with a walk, followed by Simone, who was hit by a pitch. Freshman Lane Warner pinch-hit for Abrams, but grounded out into a double play. After advancing to third, Skelhorne-Gross scored on a wild pitch. Sophomore right fielder Peter Bregartner and junior left fielder Jim Calderone were both walked. Sophomore John Miele, who pinch hit for Charron, was also walked.

With the bases loaded, the Hawks went to their bullpen to bring in veteran senior Brian White.

Taylor doubled down the left-field line, bringing in Bregartner and Calderone. Klee cleared the bases with a three-run shot over left center, to give a final score of 13-1 for the Bearcats.

“We did a good job to get to their starting pitcher and then their bullpen,” Sinicki said. “We had some timely hits. We were a little better in [the second] game than the first game. It is a credit to our guys that shows they have the patience.”

Next on the schedule for Binghamton is a trip to Lehigh University (3-14) next weekend for a series of two doubleheaders. The Mountain Hawks are currently riding a 10-game losing streak, and face Temple and St. Joseph’s before hosting Binghamton at Goodman Stadium.

The series begins on Saturday, March 21 at noon and continues at noon on Sunday.