After dropping two out of three games to Bryant last weekend, Binghamton baseball played a series against UMass Lowell this weekend, winning two out of three and securing its first series win of conference play. The team combined for 30 runs over their last two games, both of which featured at least one hit from every starter in the lineup.

“Our first series win of the year,” said sophomore infielder Sean Sweeney. “We’ve been close a bunch of times — we haven’t been able to close it, but we got this one and let’s use this momentum and hopefully move forward.”

In game one, after a scoreless first three innings, the Bearcats (8-11, 3-3 AE) were first to get on the scoreboard, with sophomore first baseman Steven Kraus driving in the first run before junior catcher Zach Anderson drove in two more thanks to a homer to left field. A home run from the River Hawks (8-11, 1-2 AE) made it a 3-2 game in the top of the sixth, but two more runs from the Bearcats in the bottom of the inning put them up by three.

The River Hawks did not back down, however, scoring one more run in the seventh before adding on a pair of runs in the eighth to tie the game up and send it into extra innings. The Bearcats were unable to contain their opponents’ offense as they put up two more runs in the tenth, leading to a 7-5 Binghamton defeat.

Game two proved to be the highest scoring of the weekend, with the Bearcats quickly scoring three runs over the first two innings. A breakout third inning from UMass Lowell tied things up at three, but Binghamton was quick to answer with seven runs in the fourth to take a commanding 10-3 lead. The Bearcats’ bats stayed hot in the fifth, tacking on three more runs to take a 10-run lead.

The River Hawks had a very productive inning of their own in the sixth, scoring six runs to make it 13-9, but a double from redshirt sophomore infielder Tim Hennig and a single from Sweeney added on three more runs to the Bearcat total. One last run from UMass Lowell in the seventh made the final score 16-10.

“Our chemistry is off the charts,” Sweeney said. “Everybody wants the guy in front of them to do good and the guy behind them, and we’re always there to pick each other up. So if you’re gonna fail, the guy behind you has got you.”

Game three saw the River Hawks quickly put up four runs in the first inning. However, the Bearcats answered with seven runs in a dominant second inning, capped off by a bases-clearing double from sophomore catcher Tommy Popoff.

Binghamton’s momentum carried into the next inning, with a two-run homer off the bat of sophomore outfielder Braylen Gonzalez putting the Bearcats up 9-4. UMass Lowell answered with two runs of their own in the fourth, but Binghamton continued to apply pressure with four runs in the fifth. The River Hawks attempted a rally in the eighth, driving in four more runs, but they were unable to complete the comeback. Henning added an RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Bearcats cruised to a 14-10 win.

“We’re just looking to keep doing what we do,” Sweeney said. “Pitching staff doing great, hitters are doing great. We’re just looking to keep everything rolling, just keep playing our Bearcat baseball.”

Binghamton will continue its home stint with a one-game matchup against Le Moyne on Tuesday, March 24. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Bearcats Baseball Complex in Vestal, New York.