April 21, 2009
Box Score
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Navy's top-two hitters in the lineup, Mike Guadagnini (So./Virginia Beach, Va.) and JD Melton (Jr./Myrtle Beach, S.C.) reached base safely seven times to lead the Midshipmen to a 10-6 win over Maryland Eastern Shore in baseball action on Tuesday afternoon at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium. The Mids improved to 16-23-1 on the year, while the Hawks fell to 11-31.
Guadagnini finished his afternoon 3-for-5 at the plate with a double, three runs scored, a RBI and two stolen bases. Meanwhile, Melton went 1-for-2 with a two-bagger, a run scored, a RBI and three walks on the afternoon.
"The top-two guys in our order got on base and gave us many opportunities to score," said Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos. "For the top of the order, that's doing your job."
Kendall Bolt (Jr./Stockton, Calif.), Josh Moore (Fr./Mills River, N.C.) and Nick Driscoll (So./Riverview, Fla.) each collected a pair of base knocks in the win. Navy out-hit Maryland Eastern Shore, 13-7, and drew six walks.
Navy jumped out to an early 8-0 lead after four innings of play. The Mids took advantage of two two-out errors in the second, as Driscoll produced a RBI-single to right, followed by a Guadagnini run-scoring double to left and a RBI-single to center by Bolt.
Two innings later in the fourth, Navy sent 10 batters to the plate in scoring five runs. Bolt drew a bases-loaded walk and Michael Speciale (Jr./Pearland, Texas) lifted a sacrifice fly to center to make the score 5-0. Following another walk, Jeff Bland (So./Basking Ridge, N.J.) brought home a run on a bases-loaded hit by pitch, before Moore a two-run single through the left side.
"We were able to have the chance to get out in front today," said Kostacopoulos. "We were able to extend the lead to eight then held on at the end."
Maryland Eastern Shore broke through with a three-run sixth, but the Mids answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Speciale led off the frame with a double down the right-field line and came home on a Andrew Hahn (Fr./Ellicott City, Md.) single to right.
The Hawks inched closer with a two-run seventh, but Navy again countered with a run in the bottom half of the inning to make the score 10-5. Guadagnini singled to left-center with one out, stole second and came around to touch home on a Melton double to left.
"It's always important to answer back," stated Kostacopoulos. "When you're ahead and give up some runs in an inning, it's key to get some of those back. That's what you need to do in games like these."
The visiting Hawks put up a run in the eighth to pull within four at 10-6, but Navy reliever JD Melton (Jr./Myrtle Beach, S.C.) was able to get the final-three outs of the game without yielding a run with a pair of strikeouts.
Navy starter Jeff Murdza (Jr./Lawrenceville, N.J.) earned his first-career win on Tuesday, as he allowed three runs on three hits over 5.1 innings with four walks and three strikeouts.
"Jeff (Murdza) managed to get us into the sixth inning, which is what a starter is supposed to do," said Kostacopoulos. "His command was a little off, but he was able to get the outs that he needed."
The Midshipmen will conclude their home-and-home series with Maryland Eastern Shore tomorrow at 3 p.m., in Princess Anne, Md. Live stats will be available via GameTracker on www.NavySports.com(.)
DIAMOND NOTES
- Navy is now 14-2 all-time against Maryland Eastern Shore ... the Midshipmen are a perfect 9-0 against the Hawks all-time in Annapolis ... Tuesday's win was Navy's 10th-straight over Maryland Eastern Shore, dating back to 2006.
- Navy's offense collected 10 runs on 13 hits during Tuesday's win ... over the last-seven games, the Midshipmen are hitting .365 (89-for-244) with an average of 8.14 runs per game.
- The Midshipmen offense has excelled when the game-time temperature is above 60 degrees ... in those 10 games this year, the Mids are hitting .362 (131-for-362) with 93 runs scored ... the temperature was 61 degrees during first pitch on Tuesday.
- Mike Guadagnini continued his stellar performance at the plate over the last month on Tuesday ... he went 3-for-5 with a double, two stolen bases, three runs scored and a RBI ... over the last-26 games, he's batting .449 (48-for-107) with 30 runs scored, 10 doubles, four triples, three home runs and 17 RBIs ... he's recorded 18 multi-hit efforts within this stretch.
- JD Melton has swung a hot bat over the last-four games ... he's hitting .500 (6-for-12) with three doubles, six runs scored, five RBIs and four walks ... the three two-baggers are the first in his career with the Midshipmen ... meanwhile, he recorded his 49th career appearance on the mound for the Mids in the ninth inning, moving into a tie for 10th place on the all-time list at Navy with Kevin Heasley (2005-08).
- Kendall Bolt moved into sole possession of 12th place on the single-season RBIs list with his 43rd and 44th runs driven in on the year on Tuesday ... he is 16 RBIs shy of matching the school record of 60 RBIs by Marcus Lee in 1993.
- Jeff Murdza earned his first-career win with a career-long 5.1-inning outing as a starter on Tuesday ... the performance topped his 3.2-inning appearance out of the bullpen against Central Connecticut State on March 7 in Annapolis.
- Navy's pitching staff issued eight walks to Maryland Eastern Shore on Tuesday ... that total was two shy of its season-high mark of 10 walks in a 7-5, 11-inning loss to Monmouth on March 13 in Annapolis.
- Navy was one of two Patriot League schools to play on Tuesday ... Army defeated Binghamton in West Point, 5-2 ... East Stroudsburg at Lafayette and Muhlenberg at Lehigh were both cancelled due to inclement weather ... Holy Cross at Maine was postponed due to rain and will be made up on April 29.
