March 27, 2010
Game One Box Score (Navy 1, UMBC 0)
Game Two Box Score (UMBC 2, Navy 1)
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Navy's
Sam Long (Jr./Newnan, Ga.) fired a complete game shutout on Saturday as the Midshipmen split their doubleheader with UMBC at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium. The Midshipmen won the opener, 1-0, before dropping game two, 2-1. Navy's record went to 16-7 on the year, while UMBC saw its mark go to 4-11.
Long became the first Navy pitcher in two years to fire a complete game shutout, as he allowed only three hits and no walks with six strikeouts in the opener. He faced only three batters over the minimum and needed just 82 pitches to get through the afternoon.
"Sam Long's line really says it all," stated Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos. "He had a very good changeup today, which is typical in his good outings. He really threw well today."
Navy's lone offensive production in game one came in the third inning. Andrew Hahn (So./Ellicott City, Md.) drew a one-out walk, stole second and scored on a two-out single off the bat of Matthew Curley (Sr./Boston, Mass.). Hahn and Curley were the only players for either team to reach base safely twice, as each had a base hit and a walk.
In game two, Navy jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first. Hahn reached on a fielder's choice, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a RBI-grounder to first off the bat of Alex Azor (So./Miami, Fla.) that the first baseman could not field cleanly.
However, that would be all the run production Navy would provide in the nightcap. Despite the leadoff batter reaching safely in each of the final-five innings of play, the Midshipmen could not push across a run and stranded a total of 10 runners on the bases.
"You cannot be 1-for-3 in sacrifice situations," stated Kostacopoulos. "We had runners and first and second and couldn't move them up. When we had a runner on first, we didn't execute. Our offensive performance was almost nonexistent and when we did have chances, our execution wasn't very good."
UMBC tied the game in the fourth with a leadoff home run by Michael Pesci that wrapped around the left-field foul pole. The Retrievers tallied the go-ahead run in the eighth, as Rick Phillips led off with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, moved to third on a single and scored on a sacrifice fly to right.
Navy starter Zach Sipe (So./Huffman, Texas) fired six innings of four-hit, one-run baseball with two walks and five strikeouts in getting a no decision. Reliever Ben Nelson (Fr./Winter Springs, Fla.) was tagged for the loss, as he allowed just one run on two hits over three innings of work with one walk and two strikeouts.
"Today was one of the better performances for Zach," said Kostacopoulos. "He was able to work around the plate and throw a couple of different pitches. He delivered a good, solid performance.
"When you give up two runs in two games, you know the pitchers are doing their job. We are where we want to be right now with our pitching. That's a positive sign."
Curley went 2-for-4 with a hit by pitch, while Speciale finished the game 2-for-4. The Midshipmen out-hit the Retrievers, 8-6.
Navy and UMBC will play the rubber game of the three-game set tomorrow in Annapolis at 1 p.m. Free live video will be provided through Navy All-Access and live stats will be available through GameTracker on www.NavySports.com(.)
DIAMOND NOTES:
- Navy's shutout of UMBC in the opener was its first since it blanked New York Tech, 2-0, on May 4, 2008, in Annapolis.
- Sam Long's complete game shutout was the first of his career and the first by a Navy pitcher since Yale Eckert against New York Tech two years ago.
- The last time Navy won a 1-0 decision prior to Saturday came on May 5, 2007, against Maryland Eastern Shore in Annapolis.
- Both Sam Long and Zach Sipe delivered a quality start (6.0+ IP, 3- ER) on Saturday ... Long and Sipe have each recorded four quality starts this spring ... as a team, the Midshipmen have totaled 13 quality starts, including eight over the last-11 games.
- Navy's pinch hitters are hitting .463 (19-for-41) with seven walks this spring ... with his effort in the nightcap, Jonathan Wright is 7-for-8 with two walks in a pinch-hitting role this year.
- The Midshipmen played error-free baseball in game two and made only one defensive miscue on the day ... Navy has made zero or one error in 11 of the last-15 games ... during that span, the Mids own a .969 fielding percentage.
- Saturday's first pitch temperature of 40 degrees was the coldest the Mids have played in this spring ... Navy started its game against Central Connecticut State on March 6 with the temperature at 41 degrees.
- Navy is now 14-19 all-time against UMBC and has won two of the last-three meetings.
