April 20, 2008
Box Score
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Navy baseball team fell behind 7-0 after the first-two innings of play and could not bounce back in dropping an 8-2 contest at Bucknell's Depew Field on Sunday afternoon. The second game of the day was postponed due to rain and has been re-scheduled for tomorrow at 2 p.m.
The Midshipmen fell to 23-19 on the year and 8-7 in Patriot League action, while the Bison upped their mark to 19-18-2 and 8-7 in league play.
"We made a couple of misplays in the field which gave Bucknell five to six outs to score with in the first, and you can't do that," stated Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos. "We battled really hard at the plate and put on some good swings, but could not come up with the big hit. We did not play well enough to overcome the deficit we faced after the first-two innings."
Bucknell posted a four-spot in the first inning and followed one frame later with three runs. Navy starter Mark McCoy (Sr./Parkland, Fla.) struck out the first batter of the game, but the ball scooted by the catcher to allow the hitter to reach first on a wild pitch. After a bunt single, the Bison drove home a run in each of the next-four at bats.
One inning later, the Bison led off with back-to-back singles before drawing consecutive walks to bring in a run. After a popout, Bucknell brought in another run on a bases-loaded walk and plated its third run of the inning on a sacrifice fly.
However, McCoy would settle in and gave the Midshipmen 5.1 innings of work, as he allowed eight runs on 12 hits with three walks, all in the second inning, and six strikeouts.
"Mark did exactly what you ask a starting pitcher to do today," said Kostacopoulos. "We needed to make plays behind him. He went out there and battled the entire way. It's exactly what you want to see out of a senior pitcher."
The Midshipmen had multiple opportunities to pull within striking distance in the third and fourth innings. In the third, two singles and an error on a fielder's choice loaded the bases with nobody out. However, Bucknell starter Mathew Wilson induced a double play at the plate and a groundout to keep the guests off the board.
Navy's offense would not be held scoreless in the fourth. Michael Speciale (So./Pearland, Texas) legged out an infield single and advanced to second on a Mitch Harris (Sr./Mt. Holly, N.C.) walk. The next batter, Nick Driscoll (Fr./Riverview, Fla.) singled to right to load the bases for Jeff Bland (Fr./Basking Ridge, N.J.), who came through with a RBI-single to center. Harris would come home during the next at bat on a wild pitch to make the score 7-2. Following a strikeout, Renaldo Hollins (Sr./Virginia Beach, Va.) drew a walk to load the bases for the second-straight inning. Once again, Wilson came up with the key pitch to force an infield popout to avoid further damage.
Bland and Hollins each recorded two base knocks on Sunday, as the Midshipmen were out-hit by the Bison, 12-8.
