RICHMOND, Va. (Interstat) — Conner Griffin and two relievers combined on a four-hit shutout over the final eight innings, and Matt Bolton drove in three runs as the Binghamton Bearcats defeated the Richmond Spiders 5-2 on Friday afternoon at Malcolm U. Pitt Field.

The game, played before an announced crowd of 250, was a stark reversal of preseason projections. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 7-2 Richmond victory, and its ELO system gave the Spiders a 55.2 percent probability to win.

Griffin, named the top star for Binghamton, earned the win with a dominant performance. After allowing a solo home run to Richmond’s Michael Elko in the first inning, the right-hander settled in to pitch five strong innings, surrendering just two runs on four hits while striking out five. More importantly, he provided stability for a Bearcats squad that entered the game with a 2-7 record, having struggled on the mound in recent outings. Griffin’s own recent starts included a loss at High Point where he gave up three earned runs in four innings.

The most critical sequence of the game occurred in the top of the seventh inning, breaking open what had been a tight contest. Binghamton led 2-1 entering the sixth after Bolton’s RBI single in the third scored Ian Kaiser, who had walked and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Bolton then extended the lead to 2-1 with a solo home run to deep left field in the sixth off Richmond starter Glenn Smith.

Smith was solid in his 5 2/3 innings of work, allowing two runs on three hits with four strikeouts. After Bolton’s homer, he was relieved by Keane Hyer, who ended the sixth but ran into trouble in the seventh.

In that decisive seventh, Binghamton’s Mike Stellrecht singled and, after a walk and a pitching change, the Bearcats loaded the bases against Richmond reliever Bijan Anvar. Grant Hunter delivered a clutch single through the left side, scoring Stellrecht. Zack Kent followed with the game’s biggest hit, a two-run single to left that plated two more, stretching the Binghamton lead to 5-1 and providing crucial insurance runs.

From there, the Bearcats’ bullpen slammed the door. Aiden Milburn worked a scoreless sixth in relief of Griffin. Jackson Mitchell was exceptional over the final three innings to earn the save, allowing no hits and striking out three. Richmond’s only threat against Mitchell came in the seventh when Noah Haught doubled, but he was stranded at third.

Richmond scored its first run on Elko’s first-inning homer and added another in the fourth. After walking and stealing both second and third, Elko scored on an RBI single by Grant Kennedy. That cut the deficit to 2-1, but Kennedy was caught stealing later in the inning, halting the rally. The Spiders managed just one hit after the fourth inning against the Binghamton relief corps.

Both teams finished with four hits. Bolton was the offensive standout for Binghamton, going 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run, a single, two runs scored and three RBIs. For Richmond, Elko’s homer accounted for his team’s only extra-base hit.

With the victory, Binghamton improved to 3-7 overall. Richmond fell to 8-6. The two teams are scheduled to continue their three-game series on Saturday and Sunday in Richmond.