5/11/2002 - Baseball
Navy Defeats Lehigh in Patriot League Baseball Tournament
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ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Behind first baseman Neil Brubeck's (Sr./Bryan, Texas) 3-for-4 performance, the Navy baseball team scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat Lehigh, 5-3, in the Mids' first game of the Patriot League Tournament Saturday afternoon at Max Bishop Stadium. Navy needs just one victory over Lehigh on Sunday to win the best-out-of-three series and clinch the automatic berth in to the NCAA Tournament.
The first game Sunday will begin at 11 a.m., while the second game, if necessary, will begin approximately 30 minutes following the opener.
Brubeck posted his first three-hit game of the season, while center fielder Pete Curnow (Fr./Morristown, N.J.) left fielder Craig Candeto (So./Orange City, Fla.), shortstop Brad Hager (Jr./Delray Beach, Fla.) and catcher David Woolsey (Sr./Columbia, S.C.) each added two hits apiece. Woolsey also scored two runs and drove in a run.
Navy starting pitcher Matt Foster (Jr./Ventura, Calif.) gave up three runs on five hits with three strikeouts in seven innings of work, improving to 2-1 overall, while reliever Zach Poelma (Jr./East Amherst, N.Y.) threw the final two innings to earn his first-career save. Lehigh starter Jack Muscalus, the Patriot League Rookie of the Year, worked six innings before giving way to reliever Ryan Dodds, who gave up three runs and dropped to 4-1 with the loss.
"I am really pleased with our pitching performances today," Navy head coach Steve Whitmyer said. "Foster kept us in the game and gave us a chance to win. Poelma came in and threw strikes and was just brilliant. I am also really pleased because we were aggressive at the plate. Muscalus is a good pitcher, but our guys went up there swinging. They came through with some key base hits in clutch situations."
Lehigh took the lead in the top of the second inning when designated hitter Jeff Pietrak hit a solo homer to left field off Foster. However, Navy (21-23) tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Farmer scored from third on Woolsey's ground out to second.
The Mountain Hawks grabbed the lead again in the top of the fourth inning, as left fielder Chad Thoman scored from third on Anthony Piccola's fielder's choice. In the top of the fifth, Lehigh (29-20-1) built a 3-1 advantage when second baseman Eric Hoffman tagged up and scored from third on Justin Pagan's sacrifice fly to right field.
Woolsey led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a double to center and came home to score from third when designated hitter Will Mahan (Jr./Escondida, Calif.) hit into a double play, trimming Lehigh's lead to one.
In the bottom of the seventh, Woolsey started the inning with a double down the left field line and scored on Brubeck's RBI-single to left field. Mahan walked and Curnow used a bunt single to load the bases for Cocca, who responded with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Brubeck. Candeto capped the Navy comeback with an RBI-single up the middle to score Curnow from third base.
"It was really important to get this win today," Brubeck said. "It makes tomorrow easier, knowing we just have to win one game instead of two, but we are going to go out there and just keep playing the way we have been."
The win was Navy's first in Patriot League tournament play since the 1999 tournament. The Mids have now won six of their last seven games, the only loss was a 4-2 setback to Lehigh April 27.
Patriot League Baseball Tournament (Annapolis, Md. - Max Bishop Stadium)
Saturday, May 11
Lehigh 12, Lafayette 6
Championship series (best-out-of-three)
Navy 5, Lehigh 3
Sunday, May 12
11 a.m. - Navy vs. Lehigh
2 p.m. (approx.) - Navy vs. Lehigh (if necessary)
