March 1, 2008
Game One Box Score (Dartmouth 1, Navy 0)
Game Two Box Score (Navy 12, Dartmouth 5)
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Navy leadoff hitter Jonathan Wright (Fr./Arden, N.C.) went 5-for-8 with a walk, three RBIs and a stolen base as the Midshipmen split their home-opening doubleheader with Dartmouth on Saturday at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium. The Mids were blanked in the opener, 1-0, before coming back to win the nightcap, 12-5. Navy moved to 3-2 on the year, while Dartmouth opened its 2008 campaign with a 1-1 mark.
"When you look at a leadoff hitter going 4-for-5 in a game, you know good things are going to happen," stated Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos. "In his short time, he has begun to take the first of many steps in transitioning into a college baseball player."
In the back end of Saturday's doubleheader, Navy's offense erupted for 12 runs over the first-four innings. The Midshipmen sent 29 batters to the plate over that span, with 12 coming away with base knocks, four of which went for extra bases.
The Mids opened the scoring in the first, as Wright singled and would later score on a RBI-groundout. In the bottom half of the second after Dartmouth took a 2-1 lead, Wright delivered a two-run single through the left side to re-gain the advantage at 3-2.
Navy batted around in the third inning, as it tallied five runs on five hits. Wright capped off the inning with a RBI-single to right-center, prior to which Nick Driscoll (Fr./Riverview, Fla.) belted a two-run triple, Jeff Bland (Fr./Basking Ridge, N.J.) powered a run-scoring double to left and Steven Soares (So./Coral Springs, Fla.) came up with a RBI-single.
Navy built to its cushion with a four-run fourth inning, highlighted by a Michael Speciale (So./Pearland, Texas) three-run, opposite-field home run to right-center. It was Navy's first home run in Annapolis, since Mitch Harris (Sr./Mt. Holly, N.C.) belted one out against Iona on Feb. 18, 2007, a span of 32 home contests.
Wright posted his second four-hit performance of the year in going 4-for-5 with three RBIs, a run scored and a stolen base. Renaldo Hollins (Sr./Virginia Beach, Va.) went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and a triple, while Speciale finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored and his three-run blast in the fourth.
Navy starter Mark McCoy (Sr./Parkland, Fla.) improved to 2-0 on the year with the win on Saturday, as he scattered eight hits and three earned runs over five innings with four strikeouts. Relief pitchers Chris Murray (So./Navarre, Fla.) and Wes Olson (Fr./Indianapolis, Ind.) combined for four innings of shutout work with six strikeouts.
In the opener, the game's only scoring would come in the first inning, as Dartmouth scored on a one-out single from Nick Santomauro. The damage could have been worse in the opening frame, but a solid performance by Soares and second-baseman Matthew Curley (So./Boston, Mass.) helped gun down the lead runner on a double-steal with men on the corners on a strikeout. Soares threw out all three base runners that attempted to steal on him on Saturday.
"Steven Soares played very well defensively today," said Kostacopoulos. "Every attempt on the bases against him was handled very well. He's able to block balls and really control the running game. He put in a full 16-inning performance behind the plate for us today."
The two starting pitchers in the opener would go the distance in the seven-inning affair. Navy's Oliver Drake (So./Gardner, Mass.) proved to be the tough-luck loser, as he allowed only five hits and one run with two walks and a career-best 10 strikeouts.
"From the third to the seventh inning, Oliver threw quite well," commented Kostacopoulos. "He pitched from behind early but battled through. It's hard to be a critic when you go the distance and give up only one run."
Dartmouth's Russell Young held the Navy lineup in check, as he yielded just two hits with four walks and eight strikeouts to earn the victory. The Midshipmen were unable to send a runner to third base against the 6'4" southpaw.
"Russell Young did a very good job against our hitters," stated Kostacopoulos. "He was able to get ahead and really expand the zone. He was also able to mix his pitches - usually sitting on the outside but then busting it in on us."
Wright was the lone Navy hitter to reach base safely twice in the home opener. He delivered a single in the third inning before drawing a walk in the fifth.
The two teams will compete in the rubber game of the three-game set tomorrow in Annapolis, starting at 11:30 a.m. Live stats for tomorrow's contest will be available via GameTracker on www.NavySports.com(.)
