April 24, 2006

• Game One Box Score
• Game Two Box Score

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Navy's offense could muster only two runs off Army pitching on Monday afternoon as the Black Knights swept the Midshipmen, 4-1 and 6-1, in baseball action at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium.

Navy fell to 29-17-1 overall on the year and the losses put its Patriot League Tournament hopes in jeopardy, as the Midshipmen fell to fifth place with their 7-9 mark during league action. Navy is one game back of Army and Lafayette for the third and final playoff spot, but fail to hold the tie break with both squads if the Midshipmen were to have the same league record at the end of next weekend's action.

For the third consecutive year, the Black Knights won the Star series, as they won three of four this weekend.

"You can't have the offensive production we had today and expect to win games," stated Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos. "We had some good opportunities early in the first game but did not do anything with them."

Kostacopoulos added, "Army's pitching was outstanding. They have allowed one or fewer runs in nine of its last 11 games. My hat goes off to Army and to its pitchers for how they were able to dominate the series this weekend."

In the opener, Navy stranded 10 runners on base, nine of which were in scoring position. Army jumped out to a 3-0 lead after five innings before Navy plated its only run of the contest in the bottom of the fifth. Senior catcher Jonathan Johnston (Hamilton Township, N.J.) led off the stanza with a double and would come home to score on senior team captain D.J. Faldowski's (Washington, Pa.) single to left to pull within one at 3-1.

However, the Black Knights immediately responded with a run of their own in the sixth and the Midshipmen could not cash in with a runner on third with two outs in the bottom half of the inning.

Senior southpaw Joe Koessler (Knoxville, Tenn.) was tagged with the loss, as he gave up eight hits and three runs with three walks and two strikeouts over five innings of work. Koessler fell to 4-3 on the year.

Faldowski and junior Michael Garcia (Kailua, Hawai'i) each posted a double and two hits in the doubleheader opener.

Army reliever Monte Jones struck out three and scattered three hits and a run in 2.1 innings to improve his mark to 3-1 on the year. Milan Dinga came in from left field and hurled a perfect seventh to get his eighth save of the season.

In the nightcap, both teams were held scoreless over the first-three innings before Army struck for a pair of runs in the fourth. Navy cut the deficit in half with a run in the fifth, coming on a two-out infield single off the bat of sophomore Renaldo Hollins (Virginia Beach, Va.) that brought home senior Jared Munde (Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.), who led off the inning with a single and went 2-for-3 in game two.

Once again, the Black Knights responded with a run in the following inning to push their lead back to two at 3-1.

Navy remained within striking distance over the following two innings, but the Midshipmen were held off the bases between the sixth and eighth innings. Army put the game out of reach in the ninth, pushing across three runs, only one of which was earned.

Junior Daniel Kovalcik (Westwood, Mass.) was saddled with the loss despite giving five solid innings on Monday. Kovalcik yielded seven hits and three runs, two of which were earned, with one walk and two strikeouts in an 87-pitch outing.

"It's been the same story since our Princeton series, our pitching has continually given us chances to win games," commented Kostacopoulos. "They have a shade over a 4.00 ERA on the year, which is pretty good in college baseball. Each and every time they have gone out there, they have given us many opportunities. There is absolutely nothing wrong with what they are giving us."

Working on a limited pitch count, Army starter Tyler Stohr was credited with the victory as he tossed four shutout innings of two-hit baseball.

Navy returns to action with a 6 p.m. ballgame against Coppin State at Joe Cannon Stadium in Severn, Md., on Wednesday.