April 18, 2010

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

"We have a lot of work to do," stated Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos. "We're now in a situation with very little room for error. You can't focus on what's happened, but rather you need to go out do what you need to do from here on out."

In the opener, Navy starter Ben Nelson (Fr./Winter Springs, Fla.) was stellar in his second-consecutive complete game effort, but received no run support in having his record drop to 4-3 on the year. He allowed just one run on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts in facing just two batters over the minimum for the entire contest.

Nelson's only blemish came in the fourth inning, as Ben Yoder took a 1-2 fastball down-and-in and hooked it over the right-field fence for a home run. Outside of the round-tripper, Nelson had allowed only one other runner to reach second base during the entire game.

"Ben pitched really well today," said Kostacopoulos. "He had everything working. When you give up one run in a complete game outing, that's a pretty good performance."

Navy had opportunities in each of the final-three innings to either tie or take the lead. In the fifth, Alex Azor (So./Miami, Fla.) led off with a single but would be thrown out on a delayed steal of second base. Still, the Mids would draw a two-out walk and get a single from Mike Guadagnini (Jr./Virginia Beach, Va.), but pinch-hitter Jonathan Wright (Jr./Arden, N.C.) grounded sharply back to the pitcher to end the frame.

One inning later, Andrew Hahn (So./Ellicott City, Md.) drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt advanced to third on an infield single by Michael Speciale (Sr./Pearland, Texas). Mike Hoosier (Sr./Pomona, N.Y.) stepped to the plate and hit a hard one-hopper to third, which Hahn was going on contact and thrown out at the plate. Bucknell starter Dylan Seeley ended the threat with a flyout to left.

In the final stanza, Kendall Bolt (Sr./Stockton, Calif.) and pinch-hitter Jonathan Berkowitz (Sr./Parkland, Fla.) had back-to-back one-out singles to set up another game-tying situation. However, Seeley was able to induce a game-ending double play.

"When you're in close, seven-inning games, there aren't usually a ton of opportunities," said Kostacopoulos. "When you do get those opportunities, you need to cash in on them and we didn't."

Azor and Bolt each had a hit and a walk for the Mids, who outhit the Bison, 6-3.

In the nightcap, Navy jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. Hahn led off with a walk, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on a Curley single to left. Hoosier would then smash a RBI-triple to the gap in left-center and would come home on a Speciale sacrifice fly to left.

Once again, the host Bison would come back, as they plated one in the first, two in the second and one in the third to take a 4-3 lead.

The Midshipmen immediately answered with the game-tying run in the fourth. Berkowitz led off the stanza with a single to left, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a Jeff Bland (Jr./Basking Ridge, N.J.) sacrifice fly to center.

Bucknell immediately countered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth to retake the lead, 6-4. The Midshipmen would not be able to answer back this time, as they had the bases loaded with one out in the sixth, but a shallow flyout to right and a fielder's choice ended the inning.

"The sixth inning with the bases loaded and only one out was a big sequence in the game," stated Kostacopoulos. "That was our chance, I think."

Meanwhile, Navy reliever Tyler Mapes (Fr./Plano, Texas) kept the Mids within striking distance over the final-3.2 innings. The rookie right-hander limited the Bison to an unearned run on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

"You can't ask Tyler to do much more than what he did," said Kostacopoulos. "He inherited a deficit and kept it there, minus an unearned run. He threw the ball well and just did a solid job overall."

Navy starter Wes Olson (Jr./Indianapolis, Ind.) was charged with the loss and had his record dip to 2-4 on the campaign. He allowed five runs on seven hits over 3.1 innings with one walk and one strikeout.

Hoosier and Bland each had a pair of knocks for Navy, who was outhit in game two by Bucknell, 12-8.

The Midshipmen will return to action this Tuesday when they host Towson for a 3 p.m. non-league game at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium. Admission is free for all home Navy baseball games and live stats will be available via GameTracker on www.NavySports.com(.)

DIAMOND NOTES:
- Navy was shutout for the first time in 2010 on Sunday ... the last time Navy was held without a run prior to Sunday was April 12, 2009, with a 6-0 loss at Army - a span of 52 games.
- The Midshipmen are 1-1 in 1-0 games this spring ... the Midshipmen blanked UMBC by that score on March 27 in Annapolis ... the Mids last loss in a 1-0 game came on March 1, 2008, against Dartmouth.
- Navy is now 60-51-1 against Bucknell in the all-time series, which dates back to 1904.
- Game one starter Ben Nelson has continued to shine during Patriot League play this spring ... against league foes, Nelson is 2-1 with two complete games and a 1.29 ERA in 21.0 innings with only 13 hits and three walks allowed, to go along with 10 strikeouts ... opposition league batters are hitting only .183 against the rookie right-hander.
- With Ben Nelson's quality start in game one, Navy has totaled 18 quality starts as a pitching staff this spring ... Nelson has recorded a quality start in each of his four-career starts, which is tied for third most on the team.
- Navy's rookie pitchers, Ben Nelson and Tyler Mapes, were solid on the mound for the Mids on Sunday ... the duo combined to limit the Bison to one earned run in 9.2 innings of work with only six hits and two walks allowed, while striking out five.