March 22, 2009
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ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy baseball team committed two errors that led to five unearned runs in the eighth inning as the Midshipmen dropped a 5-2 decision in the series finale against Princeton on Sunday afternoon. The Mids fell to 6-12-1 on the year, while the Tigers improved to 7-5.
Navy starter TJ Kerins (Fr./Marietta, Ga.) had a spectacular outing on Sunday, as he fired seven scoreless innings of five-hit baseball with no walks and five strikeouts. He threw 106 pitches on the afternoon after tossing four scoreless frames against Georgetown earlier in the week.
"TJ's pitching line really says it all," stated Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos. "He did everything well and was really executing out on the hill. He did more than his job today."
The Midshipmen took advantage of a Princeton error to claim a 1-0 lead in the sixth. Mike Guadagnini (So./Virginia Beach, Va.) worked a 10-pitch walk before moving to third on an errant pickoff throw to first. Kendall Bolt (Jr./Stockton, Calif.) proceeded to drive a sacrifice fly to right to score Guadagnini.
Holding a 1-0 lead going into the eighth, Navy called upon JD Melton (Jr./Myrtle Beach, S.C.) - who started at second base - to take the hill. Melton induced a groundball to second that was mishandled and allowed the leadoff man to reach first. After a walk, the Tigers loaded the bases on a sacrifice bunt and throw from Melton that drew the first baseman off the bag. Dan DeGeorge lifted a sacrifice fly to left to tie the game at one before another walk loaded the bases. This time, Brian Berkowitz belted a bases-clearing double to left-center and would score on an Adrian Turnham single to left.
Navy rallied for a run in the bottom half of the inning and had the tying run at the plate. Melton singled through the left side and advanced to third on a Guadagnini single to right-center. After a caught stealing, Bolt delivered a RBI-single but would be left at first, as a groundball to short ended the inning.
Melton was tagged for the loss, as he allowed the five runs to score in the eighth - all of which were unearned. The Midshipmen made a season-high four errors in the field on Sunday.
"You can't afford to make four errors in a 1-0 game," said Kostacopoulos. "Replaying the eighth inning, we have the error to lead off the inning and then a four-pitch walk with a batter trying to sacrifice, which is just like an error. The next guy comes up and executes a two-strike bunt in which we can't get an out and now we're in a lot of trouble.
"We have to play better baseball. Unfortunately, we've been picking different ways to lose over this tough stretch. Timely hitting has been an issue; sometimes the starting pitching isn't there and sometimes it's the defense failing us."
Princeton starter David Palms improved his record to 1-1, as he threw eight innings and allowed two runs - one of which was earned - on six hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Reliever Matt Grabowski worked a scoreless ninth to earn his first save in 2009.
Guadagnini and Jonathan Wright (So./Arden, N.C.) each had two hits for the Midshipmen. Guadagnini, in the midst of a five-game hitting streak, scored a run from the leadoff spot and Wright had a double on the afternoon.
"Mike is playing some good baseball right now," stated Kostacopoulos. "He's swinging the bat, making plays defensively, hustling and is engaged in the game. As a coach, you can't ask for more than that out of a player."
Princeton narrowly out-hit Navy, 8-7. Derek Beckman was the lone Tigers hitter to reach multi-hit status on Sunday, as he went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
The Midshipmen will continue the 10-game homestand on Wednesday against Georgetown at 3 p.m. Pete Medhurst will call the action from Annapolis on Navy All-Access and live stats will be available via GameTracker on www.NavySports.com(.)
DIAMOND NOTES
- Navy dropped to 49-39 all-time against Princeton ... it was the first time that the Midshipmen did not earn at least a split of their series with Princeton since they dropped both contests during the 1991 season, a span of five series.
- Navy's four errors on Sunday were a season high and led to all-five Princeton runs being unearned ... the four defensive miscues were the most by the Midshipmen since it made four errors in a 16-6 win over Coppin State on April 15, 2008.
- TJ Kerins made his second start of the week (first against Georgetown on Tuesday) and of his career on Sunday ... in those two outings, he has fired 11.0 scoreless innings with only seven hits and two walks allowed, in addition to 10 strikeouts.
- Every Navy starting pitcher this weekend went at least 5.0 innings ... Sam Long lasted 7.0 innings in the series opener, as did TJ Kerins in the series finale ... Zach Sipe battled through 6.2 innings during the first game of Saturday's twinbill.
- Catcher Steven Soares gunned down all-three Princeton base stealers on Sunday ... he has thrown out 50.0 percent (14-of-28) base stealers this year ... over the last-three games, Soares has thrown out all-six attempted base stealers.
- Mike Guadagnini extended his hitting streak to five games with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate ... over this stretch, he is batting .526 (10-for-19) with two doubles, a triple and a home run.
- Kendall Bolt extended his streak to 28 games, dating back to last season, in which he has reached base safely (hit, walk or hit by pitch) ... he delivered a RBI-single up the middle during the eighth inning on Sunday.
