March 15, 2009
Box Score
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy baseball team suffered an 11-5 loss to Monmouth to close out its weekend action on Sunday afternoon at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium. The Midshipmen fell to 5-7-1 on the year, while the Hawks went undefeated on the weekend to improve to 5-6.
Navy fell behind 5-0 after three and a half innings before pulling within a run in the bottom half of the fourth. The Mids loaded the bases with nobody out, as Jonathan Berkowitz (Jr./Parkland, Fla.) led off with a single, followed by Steven Soares (Jr./Coral Springs, Fla.) hit by pitch and a Nick Driscoll (So./Riverview, Fla.) single. JD Melton (Jr./Myrtle Beach, S.C.) delivered a RBI single to plate Berkowitz and Soares would score on a fielder's choice. Mike Guadagnini (So./Virginia Beach, Va.) laced a two-run double down the left-field line to pull the hosts within one at 5-4.
The Midshipmen had a golden opportunity to tie the ballgame or take the lead in the fifth, as it loaded the bases with one out. However, Monmouth reliever Steve Sanguiliano induced an inning-ending groundball double play to end the threat and keep the guests on top.
"That was our opportunity to climb back into the game and get ahead but didn't," stated Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos. "We did claw back into it and that was our small opening but could not take advantage."
In total, each team stranded eight runners on base during the game, but the Midshipmen saw six of their runners left on base in scoring position.
"Unfortunately, that has been a constant issue for us this season," said Kostacopoulos. "We have to keep going to work and need to improve at the plate. The hits will eventually start coming. This is a huge concern and probably the reason why we are 5-7-1 with our offensive production."
The Hawks immediately grabbed that momentum and responded with three runs in the top half of the sixth to chase Navy starter Zach Sipe (Fr./Huffman, Texas) from the game. Monmouth tacked on three insurance runs in the eighth to put the game out of reach.
Navy plated a run in the bottom of the eighth, as Soares led the frame off with a double to left and would score on a Jeff Bland (So./Basking Ridge, N.J.) single to center.
Sipe fell to 1-1 on the year, as he allowed seven runs - five earned - on nine hits over 5.1 innings with three walks and six strikeouts. He was forced to throw extra pitches as the defense committed three errors, bringing his final pitch count to 114 on Sunday - 69 of which went for strikes.
"We needed to make a couple more plays behind Zach in order to save him at least 15 pitches today," stated Kostacopoulos. "His pitch count was high, but we could have helped him out by making the routine defensive plays."
Navy's cleanup-through-six hitters each recorded a multi-hit performance on Sunday. Kendall Bolt (Jr./Stockton, Calif.) went 2-for-5, followed by Berkowitz's 2-for-4 effort with a run and Soares's 2-for-2 showing with two runs scored. However, the Midshipmen were out-hit by the Hawks, 15-11.
Navy will head to Shirley Povich Field in Bethesda, Md., this Tuesday to take on Georgetown at 3 p.m. Live stats will be available via GameTracker on www.NavySports.com(.)
DIAMOND NOTES
- Navy fell to Monmouth for the second time on the weekend, as the Hawks edged the Midshipmen, 7-5, in 11 innings on Friday afternoon ... the Midshipmen are now 8-9 all-time against Monmouth.
- Navy's pitching staff fanned 10 Monmouth batters on Sunday ... in the two meetings this weekend, the Midshipmen fanned 26 Monmouth hitters ... Navy struck out 16 in its 11-inning performance on Friday afternoon.
- Reliever Luke Roberts extended his streak of earned run-free baseball over his career to 8.2 innings on Sunday ... he fanned a batter in 1.2 innings of scoreless work. - Kendall Bolt went 2-for-5 on Sunday to extend his streak to 22-consecutive games in which he has reached base safely, dating back to last season.
- Steven Soares went 2-for-2 with two runs scored to cap off a stellar weekend at the plate ... he batted .625 (5-for-8) with a double, home run, four RBIs and three runs scored.
- Navy saw its longball streak of five home games come to an end on Sunday ... Steven Soares's double in the eighth nearly extended the streak, but the ball one-hopped the fence in left.
- Sunday's ballgame was broadcast live on Navy All-Access and WNAV 1430 AM in Annapolis ... Navy's game against Princeton next Sunday, March 22, at 12 noon will also be broadcast on both platforms ... the Midshipmen will have four other games streamed with audio live on Navy All-Access and their April 19 doubleheader opener against Bucknell in Annapolis will be televised live to a national audience on CBS College Sports Network.
