2/19/2005 - Baseball
Baseball Splits Doubleheader with Savannah State to Begin 2005 Season
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Navy vs. Savannah State (Game One)
Navy vs. Savannah State (Game Two)
Senior catcher Doug Silverman went 2-for-5 with three RBI in the game two of a doubleheader Saturday. |
Savannah, Ga. - The Navy baseball team opened its 2005 season Saturday by splitting its doubleheader with Savannah State at Tiger Field in Savannah, Ga. The Midshipmen used a 10-run seventh inning in the first game to win 17-8, but suffered a 15-7 loss in the second game after issuing 11 walks.
The Midshipmen's win snapped a five-game losing streak in season openers. The last time Navy (1-1) opened a season with a victory came back in the 1999 campaign, as the Mids handed Guilford a 9-1 loss.
"We came out and were really aggressive in the first game today," Navy head coach Steve Whitmyer said. "I was pleased with how we played. We were just as aggressive in the field and that was something that we had worked on all fall and preseason."
Freshman first baseman Mitch Harris (Mt. Holly, N.C.) had a fine debut for his collegiate career, as he went 3-for-5 with three runs batted in during the day's first game.
The Mids took a 3-2 lead into the seventh and used clutch hitting from Harris to spark a 10-run frame. Navy led 17-2 going into the eighth before the Tigers scratched out some late runs.
Senior Jeff Lange (Springfield, Va.) earned the win for Navy by scattering two hits over three scoreless innings. He struck out a pair of batters and issued just one walk.
The Midshipmen held a 7-6 lead in the fifth inning of the second game, but could not hold for the win.
Senior catcher Doug Silverman (Foster City, Calif.) went 2-for-5 with a double and three RBI in the nightcap. Freshman William Maugeri (Edgewater, Md.) had strong game at the plate by going 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
"We were just as aggressive at the plate in the second game, but we issued too many walks," Whitmyer said. "You aren't going to win many games when you issue 11 walks. But overall, it was a good first day."
Navy will be back in action with two games Sunday as it faces Villanova at noon and Virginia Tech at 3 p.m.
