Feb. 20, 2011

Box Score

CLINTON, S.C. - The Navy baseball team responded from a five-run deficit to take the lead in the eighth inning against Presbyterian on Sunday, but wound up falling to the Blue Hose, 10-7, in the final game of a three-game series.

Trailing 5-1 in the top of the eighth inning, Navy (0-3) battled back to put together its biggest inning of the season as it scored five runs to take a 6-5 lead.

The lead proved short lived, however, as the Blue Hose (3-0) responded with five runs of their own in the bottom half of the eighth inning.

Despite the loss, head coach Paul Kostacopoulos was encouraged by the Mids' resiliency.

"For us to get back and take the lead in the eighth was good because it presented situations that we're going to be in throughout the course of the season," said Kostacopoulos. "It was a close game and we made a lot changes that inning. A lot of situations came up that will repeat themselves over the year and you've got to get good at those situations.

"We played a full nine innings today, and that was a positive sign."

The Blue Hose put up a solo run in the second inning and then got to Navy starting pitcher Johnny Schoberl in the third as they scored four runs off three hits. PC sent all nine hitters to the plate in the inning and after an RBI single by Kenny Bryant, Tyler Hill had hit a his bases-loaded single to right field that plated two runs.

A wild pitch resulted one more run for Presbyterian, making the score 5-0.

Wes Olson came on in relief of Schoberl in the bottom of the fourth inning and did a good job of slowing the Presbyterian hitters, as he allowed just two hits in 2.1 innings.

Presbyterian starter Jordan Pace retired eight consecutive Navy hitters to start the game and surrendered just two hits through six complete innings. Pace, who was also the recipient of good defense behind him, struck out nine and issued no walks.

Navy's Alex Azor finally got to Pace as he led off the seventh inning with a double. Azor's first hit of the season led to the Mids' first run of the day as David Milanes drove him in with a single in the next at-bat.

Trailing 5-1 in the top of the eighth inning, freshman David Norman led off with a pinch-hit single. Two batters later, Brandon Beans singled and the Mids had two on with one out and were in position to start the rally.

Andrew Hahn drove in both runners with a triple, and after getting his first hit of the season in his previous at-bat, Azor followed with another double that scored Hahn and made it a one-run game.

Two batters later, and with two outs, a wild pitch by PC reliever Drew Wingo allowed Azor to score, and tied the game at five.

Wingo then walked the next two hitters to load the bases and the third Navy pinch-hitter of the inning, Jonathan Wright, knocked an infield single that brought in a run to give Navy the lead, 6-5.

Facing Navy reliever Jordan Heller, Presbyterian's first six hitters reached base to start the top of the eighth inning, producing three runs. A sacrifice fly by Mack Hite and RBI single by Tyler Hill brought in two more runs to ice the game for Presbyterian.

An RBI groundout by Azor put up one more run for the Mids in the top of the ninth, to make the final score 10-7.

Wingo earned the win in relief for PC, while Jordan Heller suffered the loss for Navy in his first-career outing.

Navy will look for its first win of the season on Wednesday when it makes the short trek to College Park to face Maryland at 3 p.m.

"In this part of the season, you have to get better," said Kostacopoulos. "There are a lot of potential obstacles early in the season that you are going to be challenged with, so it can actually be a good thing to deal with some adversity and see how you respond."

Notes...
• In his first-career start, shortstop Kyle Hackney went 2-for-4 at the plate.

• Jordan Heller's appearance on the mound was his first as a Mid.

• Jeff Bland's five-game hitting streak, which dated back to last season, was snapped as he went 0-for-4.

• David Norman's single as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning was his first as a Mid.

• Jonathan Wright's RBI single in the eighth was his first hit of the year.