LOWELL (Interstat) — Tommy Popoff hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning to lift the Binghamton Bearcats to a 13-12 victory over the Massachusetts-Lowell River Hawks on Saturday afternoon in an America East slugfest.

The Bearcats improved to 28-20 overall, while the River Hawks fell to 20-29. Binghamton took two of three in the weekend series, having split a doubleheader Friday.

Popoff, the designated hitter, finished 2-for-5 with four RBIs. His towering shot in the top of the eighth turned an 11-8 deficit into a 12-11 lead. He also drove in a run with a single in the fifth inning.

The game featured 32 combined hits and five lead changes. Binghamton’s Andrew Heppner went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and two RBIs. Zack Kent had three hits and two RBIs. Steven Kraus scored three times.

For Massachusetts-Lowell, Nicholas Solorzano went 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs. His two-run double in the sixth inning highlighted a four-run outburst that gave the River Hawks an 11-8 lead. Brayden Cal, who moved from pinch-hitter to center field, had two hits, an RBI and two stolen bases.

Binghamton struck first in the fourth inning. Heppner’s homer capped a four-run frame that put the Bearcats ahead 4-3. The River Hawks answered with two runs in the bottom half to retake the lead, then Solorzano’s solo homer in the fifth made it 7-6.

After Binghamton tied it in the top of the sixth, Massachusetts-Lowell poured on four runs in the bottom of the inning. Rowan Masse and Jorge Burgos scored on Solorzano’s double, Carlos Martinez scored on a groundout and Solorzano scored on a sacrifice fly.

The Bearcats chipped away in the eighth. Mike Stellrecht walked, Tim Hennig walked and Grant Hunter singled to load the bases. Matt Bolton’s sacrifice fly cut the lead to 11-9. Popoff then crushed a 3-0 pitch over the left-field fence to put Binghamton ahead.

Binghamton added a run in the ninth on Hennig’s sacrifice fly. The River Hawks cut it to 13-12 in the bottom of the eighth when Cal scored on a sacrifice bunt after reaching base on a single and stealing second. But Brady Lesiak retired the side in order in the ninth, striking out Sean O’Leary and inducing two groundouts.

Aiden Milburn earned the win in relief, throwing 2 1/3 scoreless innings without allowing a hit. He entered with one out in the sixth and stranded two runners. Lesiak pitched a perfect ninth for the save. Ryan Bates started for Binghamton and allowed three runs, one earned, in two innings.

Massachusetts-Lowell starter Alfred Mucciarone threw two scoreless innings with a strikeout. Kevin Rourke took the loss, allowing the go-ahead run in the eighth.

The game was the third meeting between the teams in three days. Binghamton won 8-4 in the second game Friday after dropping the opener 8-4. The series wraps a four-game season set that began in March with a 16-10 Bearcats win.