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DURHAM, N.C. ­-- The Navy baseball team opened its 2017 season on Saturday with a pair of walk-off setbacks on the road to North Carolina Central. Playing at the Historic Durham Athletic Park, the Mids (0-2) lost a pair of hard-fought one-run games in the Eagles' (2-0) last regulation at bats by a score of 3-2 in the first contest and 8-7 in the second.

"Coming out of the chute and losing a 3-2 walk-off and then battling your way in game two and losing with an 8-7 walk-off, that's a tough way to get your feet wet to start a season in terms of results," remarked head coach Paul Kostacopoulos.

Offensively, Navy had six players record hits on the day with four notching two. Christian Hodge (So., Winder, Ga.), Logan Knowles (Jr., Port Orchard, Wash.) and Scott Koscho (So., Trafford, Pa.) led the Mids in production as Hodge and Koscho had home runs on Saturday and Knowles had a double and two RBIs.

"I think Christian and Scott are very capable players, that just didn't get a whole lot of time last year," said Kostacopoulos. "Now as sophomores, we've inserted them into our lineup and we look for them to get more at bats and learn how to improve in the college game."

On the mound, sophomore Noah Song got the ball in game one and showed the talent that him earn a pair of Freshman All-America nods in 2016. In 6.0+ innings, the right-hander allowed two runs on four hits and three walks, while striking out five. In his collegiate debut as a pitcher, Sean Kamhoot (Jr., Gainesville, Fla.) tossed 3.1 innings in game two and struck out three.

"Noah was pretty good, I thought he threw the ball well," said Kostacopoulos. "We had a quick hook with him today after about 85 pitches, but its early in the season. In a couple weeks that probably wouldn't be the case."

North Carolina Central 3 -- Navy 2

Pitching was the story of the opening four frames of the first contest on Saturday as Song and North Carolina Central's Devin Sweet went head-to-head and tossed up zero after zero on the scoreboard. The Eagles touched up Song for singles in each of the first three innings, while doubles by Knowles and Travis Blue (Sr., Orange, Calif.) were the only damage sustained by Sweet.

In the top of the fifth, Koscho broke the scoreless tie as he connected for a loud home run deep beyond the center field wall. The long ball was the first of the sophomore's career.

With the score 1-0 in favor of Navy, North Carolina Central knotted the game back up in the bottom of the fifth as Corey Joyce took a Song offering out of the park with a solo home run.

The sophomore RHP settled back into his groove in the sixth inning as he retired the side in order on nine pitches.

NCCU chased Song from the game in the seventh as a leadoff walk would spell the end of the starter's day. The Eagles were able to scratch out a run off of the newly-inserted reliever Andrew Sauer (So., Johns Creek, Ga.) to take the lead, 2-1.

The back-and-forth nature of the game continued in next half inning, as the Mids fought back with solo home run off the bat of Hodge.

A bend, but not break bottom of the eighth inning for Sauer and Navy saw the second-year pitcher battle out of a bases loaded jam with one out and come out unscathed with a strike out swinging of Central's Conrad Kovalcik and a line drive snag by Matthew Wilcox (So., Lost Gatos, Calif.) at second base off the bat of three-time All-MEAC honoree, Carlos Ortiz.

After Navy went down one, two, three in the top of the ninth, NCCU used a leadoff single, a sacrifice bunt and a double to center field to earn the walk-off 3-2 victory.

For the game, North Carolina Central outhit Navy, 8-5. Hodge was the lone Midshipmen batter to record multiple hits (2).

Sauer was saddled with the loss for Navy after throwing 2.1 innings, striking out two and giving up one run.

North Carolina Central 8 -- Navy 7

Game two followed a completely different script as the strong pitching that combined for just five runs over 18 innings in the first contest struggled with consistency in the nightcap. The two pitching staffs combined to walk eight, hit 10 batters and concede runs in seven of the 14 half-innings.

After NCCU jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, Navy struck back during its next at bat and hung a five-spot on the scoreboard. A hit by pitch, fielding error and well-struck single by Adrian Chinnery (Sr., Wilmington, Del.) loaded the bases for the Mids before the visitors started the merry-go-round with a Koscho hit by pitch. Wilcox was the next man in line for an RBI as he drew a walk. Back-to-back singles by Knowles and Blue made it 4-2 before Stephen Born (Jr., Strafford, Pa.) capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly to center field.

With the score 5-2 Navy, NCCU immediately reapplied the pressure as the Eagles loaded the bases in the bottom of the second. A strong back-pick by Chinnery to third baseman Jacob Williamson (Fr., Sims, N.C.) got the Mids their second out before Condry froze Corey Joyce with a strike-three looking on the inside corner.

Where they failed to plate any runs in the second, the Eagles succeeded in their bases loaded opportunity in the bottom of the third. Slowly the host team scored three runs to knot the game at 5-5.

Coming out of the bullpen for his collegiate pitching debut, the one-time outfielder, Kamhoot retired NCCU in order in the fourth inning with a strike out, line drive to the mound and ground out.

Navy took its final lead of the game in the top of the fifth as four straight batters reached with one out. Williamson started the rally with a single up the middle before Chinnery hit a line drive that buzzed the pitcher on its way to center field. A walk to Koscho loaded the bases for Wilcox, who was promptly hit by pitch to make it 6-5. Knowles plated the Mids' next run with a fielders' choice ground ball to second base.

With the score 7-5 Navy, North Carolina Central chipped away with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to tie the ball game once again. Going into their final at bat of the scheduled seven-inning contest, the Eagles registered their second straight walk-off as Kovalcik hit an RBI single to right field with one out to make it 8-7.

For the game, NCCU outhit Navy, 8-5. Chinnery led the Mids with two hits.

Kamhoot took the loss with a final line of 3.1 innings, three strikeouts and three runs allowed (two earned) on three hits and a walk.

"There were things that we saw today that we need to learn early in the year," remarked Kostacopoulos. "One of those things is that we get really hyped up with runners in scoring position and try to do too much. We didn't produce in those situations today. That's something that we'll have to get better at and there is a strategy to it. There's an approach that needs to build. I really think that was the difference in the two games today; we weren't able to convert.

"The other thing that stood out today was the relief pitching, we knew coming into the season that we're a work-in-progress. I thought Sean Kamhoot threw the ball well and I thought Andrew Sauer threw fine, but we did not get a useful start out of Kyle Condry. Getting six total outs after we score five runs in the second inning isn't good enough. Short starts will really stress your bullpen."

Navy will close out its opening series at North Carolina Central on Sunday with a single contest at the Durham Athletic Park. First pitch between the Mids and Eagles is set for 1 p.m.