After suffering a hard-fought three-game sweep at the hands of nationally ranked University of Arkansas last weekend, the Binghamton University baseball team (0-6) is set to resume play at the Big 5 Bash being held in Philadelphia, Pa. this weekend. Binghamton will be playing St. Joseph’s University (3-13) on Friday, and Villanova University (11-6) and Temple University (6-10) on Sunday.

After nearly a month of play, the Bearcats remain in last place in the America East Conference but find themselves with company, as Stony Brook University (7-5) is the only team with a positive record in the conference.

Nevertheless, head coach Tim Sinicki stuck with a positive outlook heading into this weekend’s matchups.

“My expectations for this coming weekend at the Big 5 Bash is to be better than we were last weekend against Arkansas,” he said. “That is what I ask from our guys each and every time we take the field for either practice or a game.”

Senior ace Mike Augliera will be taking the mound in the opener against the St. Joseph’s Hawks.

At the plate, freshman catcher Jake Thomas leads the team with a .333 batting average, giving him the No. 7 ranking in the America East. Thomas is also ranked seventh in on-base percentage at .417. Through 21 at-bats, he has seven hits, one double, four RBI and a slugging percentage of .381.

Freshman outfielder Zach Blander is coming off a hot weekend at the plate when he posted a .375 batting average against Arkansas. Blander ranks second on the Bearcats with a .286 batting average this year.

Rounding off Binghamton’s three offensive leaders is sophomore shortstop John Howell, who has a team-high six doubles in his first six games and retains a batting average of .261 on the season.

Sinicki said the Bearcats are going into this weekend looking to have more runs cross the plate.

“We need to continue to pitch well and play solid defense. Hopefully with more live at-bats our offense will begin to click and produce more runs.”

The first game of the Big 5 Bash is set to begin at 3 p.m. Friday at Maguire Campus Field in Philadelphia.