March 28, 2010
Box Score
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Navy pinch-hitter
Jonathan Berkowitz (Sr./Parkland, Fla.) delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth to score pinch-runner
Andrew Hahn (So./Ellicott City, Md.) and give the Midshipmen a 4-3 baseball victory over UMBC on Sunday afternoon at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium. The Midshipmen improved to 17-7 on the year, while the Retrievers fell to 4-12.
With the game tied at three in the ninth, Kendall Bolt (Sr./Stockton, Calif.) was able to battle his way back from an 0-2 count to draw a leadoff walk. Hahn came in and pinch-ran for Bolt, who then stole second before advancing to third on a groundout. Berkowitz was called off the bench and singled down the third-base line to drive in Hahn and win the game.
Navy had jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second, as Craig Veech (Fr./Longwood, Fla.) drew a bases loaded walk before Dylan Wheeler (Fr./Novato, Calif.) smacked a two-run double to the gap in left-center. Wheeler's two-bagger would be Navy's last hit before Berkowitz's single in the ninth, as UMBC reliever Sean Swetnam came on in the third inning and fired 6.1 solid innings.
"Early in the game, we were thinking that we would be able to get something going," stated Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos. "Their reliever came in and held us without a hit for nearly seven innings and it was just disappointing that nothing was able to materialize offensively."
UMBC cut the lead to one at 3-2 with a two-run fifth and had the bases loaded with one out, but Navy starter Wes Olson (Jr./Indianapolis, Ind.) was able to induce an inning-ending double play to maintain the lead. The Retrievers tied the game at three in the eighth with a two-out single through the left side by Rick Phillips.
Olson went five innings and allowed two runs on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Southpaw Jeff Murdza (Sr./Hamilton, N.J.) yielded one run on two hits over 2.1 innings and right-hander Drew Carlson (Sr./Boca Raton, Fla.) tossed 1.2 innings of shutout relief to pick up his first win of the season.
"The pitching staff has been a real focal point for this team over the last 10-11 games," said Kostacopoulos. "They have given us chances to win in nearly all of those games. Quite frankly, they've carried us and it's not only the starters that are performing well. The relievers have been doing their job when called upon in the late innings."
Matthew Curley (Sr./Boston, Mass.) and Veech were the only two Navy players to reach base twice on Sunday. Curley went 1-for-3 with a walk, while Veech drew a pair of free passes. The Midshipmen were outhit by the Retrievers, 9-5.
Navy will return to action on Wednesday when it travels to Shipley Field in College Park to take on Maryland in a 6 p.m. contest. Live stats will be available via GameTracker on www.NavySports.com(.)
DIAMOND NOTES:
- Navy's walk-off win was the second of the spring ... the Midshipmen won in walk-off fashion in their 5-4, 11-inning victory against Central Connecticut State on March 7.
- With this weekend's series victory, the Midshipmen have either tied or won all of their series this spring.
- Navy's 17 wins before the start of Patriot League play ranks as the third-highest total in program history ... the Midshipmen won 19 games before league play in 2006 and 18 contests before the league slate in 2007.
- With Jonathan Berkowitz's pinch-single in the ninth inning, Navy is batting .476 (20-for-42) with 18 RBIs in a pinch-hitting role this spring.
- Navy's pitching staff allowed just five runs in this weekend's three-game series with UMBC ... over the last-10 games, the pitching staff has recorded a stellar 2.33 ERA in 85.0 innings with only 24 walks and 53 strikeouts ... opponents are hitting only .249 during this span.
- Navy is now 15-19 all-time against UMBC ... the Midshipmen have won three of the last-four meetings.
