The Binghamton baseball team traveled to Lexington, Virginia this weekend to take on the Virginia Military Institute Keydets in a three-game series. After Friday afternoon’s matchup was postponed, the Bearcats (4-6) prepared themselves for a shorter-spanning series. Both teams battled hard, but Binghamton ended up on top in every outing, earning a sweep over the Keydets (3-12).

During the opener, it wasn’t until the bottom of the second inning that either team managed to get on the scoreboard. Keydet sophomore infielder Noah Cook advanced home after a single by freshman outfielder Don Goodes, a hit by a pitch on junior infielder Michael Diodato and an RBI fielder’s choice.

In the top of the third, BU came back aggressively against its opponent. A home run from redshirt junior outfielder Daniel Franchi plated both him and sophomore infielder Jake Evans to bring the game to a tie at two runs apiece. A home run from senior outfielder Sean Trenholm then gave BU two more runs, and that was all it needed to take the victory 4-2. Senior pitcher Robert Brown relieved classmate pitcher Nick Gallagher after six innings. Brown pitched 3.1 hitless innings to secure the Bearcat victory.

The second game on Saturday saw BU come out of the gate swinging, with two early runs via RBIs from sophomore outfielder Shane Marshall and senior outfielder Anthony Meduri. A homer from Franchi propelled Binghamton to a three-run advantage over the still-scoreless VMI. The Bearcats scored two more by the top of the sixth and were able to keep the VMI Keydets to just one run scored.

During the top of the sixth, a double to right center from Trenholm provided Marshall the chance to make it home, tacking on another run scored for Binghamton. By the top of the ninth inning, VMI still had just two runs to BU’s five. While the Bearcats were already comfortably in the lead, the team didn’t hesitate to add three more runs to its effort, all coming from Franchi, Marshall and Trenholm via RBIs from Trenholm, Meduri and senior infielder Matt Tsukroff, respectively.

Once it was VMI’s turn to bat, the team showed it was not eager to go down so easily. Facing a seemingly insurmountable 8-2 deficit on the scoreboard, utility player sophomore Cody Warner launched a home run early in the bottom of the ninth in a futile comeback effort. A double to left center from sophomore infielder Callen Nuccio allowed junior outfielder Ryan Hatten to score, but this was the final run that VMI registered. The game ended with Binghamton as the victorious team, winning 8-4.

Junior pitcher Ben Anderson pitched six innings in game two, allowing only one run on three hits and striking out eight hitters.

Sunday’s game was a quiet one, with just three runs scored by both teams combined. Junior pitcher Jake Miller got the start for BU, turning in five solid innings in which he struck out seven and allowed only one run on three hits and two walks.

The first run of the day came from VMI redshirt freshman outfielder Will Knight, who made it home on a wild pitch. The scoreboard remained untouched until the top of the fourth inning when Trenholm reached on a fielder’s choice, allowing Marshall to score and tie the game at 1-1.

At the top of the fifth, a homer by junior infielder Justin Drpich gave BU a one-run advantage. The Keydets were unable to overcome their slim deficit in the remaining innings, and the Bearcats could not raise their lead. Binghamton took the outing 2-1.

The Bearcats will be traveling to Macon, Georgia next weekend to face off against Mercer University. The first pitch of the three-game series is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday, March 15 on the Claude Smith Field.