April 24, 2011
Box Score
WORCESTER, Mass. - Navy and Holy Cross split a doubleheader on Sunday as the Crusaders took game one, 8-6, while the Midshipmen responded to win game two, 10-8. Navy is now 24-17-1 and 8-6 in the Patriot League, while Holy Cross is now 19-20-1 and 6-8 in the conference.
Navy's victory in game two was keyed by its five-run sixth inning that put the Mids ahead, 10-4.
With Navy leading, 5-4, in the sixth, consecutive base hits by Nick Driscoll and Josh Moore, followed by a perfect bunt single down the third base line by Dylan Wheeler, loaded the bases for Navy.
Brandon Beans took advantage and drove in the first run of the inning with a sacrifice fly. Taylor Cato followed with an RBI single to boost the lead to 7-4.
After Alex Azor struck out for the second out of the inning, Greg Dupell walked to again pack the bases for Navy - setting the table for Jeff Bland. Bland delivered as he smacked a single past third base that brought in two runs and gave Navy a 9-5 cushion.
"I think Jeff's hit was the biggest hit of the ballgame, really from the standpoint of just giving us a lift," said Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos.
A passed ball in the next at-bat allowed Dupell to score for the fifth run of the frame.
Preston Gainey, who took over for starter Johnny Schoberl with one out in the fifth inning, allowed his first runs of the game in the seventh when Nick Ciardiello sliced the Navy lead to 10-6 with a two-run homer.
Consecutive hits by the Crusaders to start the eighth inning led to two more runs as a one-out single by Brendan McCrea plated both runners to make the score 10-8.
Joel Rinehart then replaced Gainey and got the final two outs, stranding one base runner.
In the ninth, Rinehart issued a one-out walk, but then got Kyle Stearns looking at strike three and ended the game by fanning Josh Olson.
"It was just a really grinding game," said Kostacopoulos. "Preston came in and did a nice job and then Joel closed it out."
In three complete innings, Gainey struck out six, scattered six hits and surrendered four runs to earn his first-career win.
Rinehart picked up his fifth save of the season in 1.2 innings of work.
Navy started game two with four runs in the first inning, all off just one hit. Three walks and a catchers interference call led to the first run, and Bland followed with a two-RBI single. A fielder's choice RBI by Dave Milanes brought in the fourth run.
Holy Cross scored twice in the first and second innings to tie the game, before an RBI groundout by Azor gave Navy a 5-4 lead in the top of the fifth.
In game one, Holy Cross scored a solo run in the bottom of the first inning off an RBI double by Ciardiello.
The Crusaders added to their lead in the bottom of the third frame with two runs. Patrick Puentes drove in the first run with a single to center field, and two batters later a sacrifice fly by Stephen Wadsworth made it 3-0.
A two-out RBI double by Eric Oxford added another run, and also ended the inning as he was thrown out by Driscoll at third base trying to extend the hit into a triple.
Consecutive two-out hits, by McCrea and Puentes, boosted the Holy Cross lead to 7-0 after four innings.
With just four hits through five innings and now trailing 8-0 in the top of the sixth, Navy quickly made it a game by plating six runs to make the score 8-6.
Two singles and a hit batter loaded the bases with one out for the Midshipmen, and then two consecutive walks to Moore and Jonathan Wright brought in two runs to get Navy on the board.
Beans then followed with a hard hit double to left field that plated two more runs to cut the deficit in half, 8-4.
With the second Holy Cross reliever of the inning, John Colella, on the mound, Azor belted a ball that third baseman Mike Ahmed misplayed, allowing two more runners to touch home and make the score 8-6.
Navy starter Ben Nelson retired the side in the bottom of the sixth inning, keeping the deficit at two runs going into the top of the seventh.
A walk and an error later in the top of the seventh inning put the tying runs on base for Navy. But with two outs, Colella got Beans to groundout to second base to end the game.
Nelson, who fired his third complete game in his last four starts, took the loss to fall to 4-5. The sophomore righty scattered 12 hits, struck out two and walked one.
Holy Cross starter John Pedrotty improved to 7-2 with the win, while Colella earned his eighth save of the season. Pedrotty struck out six and allowed six hits.
Despite coming up short, Navy's surge late in game one set the tone for game two.
"We didn't really get much going early in game one, and then started pecking away and I think that woke us up," said Kostacopoulos. "Even though we fell short, I thought we woke up emotionally and that gave us a jumpstart in game two."
The two teams will complete the series tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.
Notes...
• By scoring four runs in the first inning of game two, Navy is now 13-2 when scoring in the first inning.
• Navy is now 9-3 in the second game of doubleheaders.
• The Mids are 7-1 when scoring at least 10 runs.
• Taylor Cato went 1-for-2 in game one and 1-for-4 in game two, extending his hitting streak to 10 games.
• Joel Rinehart's save in game two gives him a career total of eight - putting him in a tie for third place on Navy's all-time saves list.
• Jeff Bland recorded a game-high four RBIs in game two.
