ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy baseball team (22-9) earned its fifth-straight victory on Tuesday afternoon against Coppin State (14-11), 5-4, at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium.
Ryan Duffey (So., Duxbury, Mass.) and
Zach Biggers (Jr., Walhalla, S.C.) each had two hits to lead Navy's offense and they both recorded an RBI. The Midshipmen relievers tossed 5-1/3 innings allowing just three hits and two runs -- one earned -- with six strikeouts.
"I think the key for us today was our bullpen," head coach
Paul Kostacopoulos said. "Wilson [Ayers] did a nice job to start but got a little tired. Sante [Grossi] did a nice job in his longest outing and Dalton [Baker] got out of a big jam. Trey [Braithwaite] did what finisher does and I think our bullpen was the key today. They did a good job of throwing a lot of off-speed pitches. We did not adjust very well at the plate, but we got it from a different group of people today, we got it from our relievers, which was good enough for a win."
Navy got off to an early lead against Coppin State with a pair of runs in the second inning. Duffey drove in
Zach Stevens (Fr., Lexington, Mass.) from third base following an infield single from Duffey with two outs in the inning. Without the help of a hit, Duffey moved up two bases on a pair of wild pitches. On the second wild pitch of the inning, Duffey scored from second after the Eagle catcher stumbled en route to collecting the wild pitch as the Midshipmen grabbed a 2-0 lead.
The Eagles rallied to tie the game in the fourth inning with three singles in the inning. However, the tie was erased in the next half inning with a pair of runs from Navy. Stevens was hit by a pitch to begin the bottom of the fourth inning and
Jacob Williamson doubled to left-center field to place runners at second and third base.
Dalton Jackson (Fr., Chesapeake, Va.) drove in his first collegiate run with a sacrifice fly, which allowed Stevens to score and Williamson to move up to third base. Before the ensuing pitch, Williamson scored on a balk to regain the two-run lead for the Midshipmen.
In the seventh inning and holding a 4-2 lead, Navy added an insurance run with an RBI single from Biggers that scored
Michael Coritz (Jr., Clifton, Va.) from second base. The Biggers single was the lone hit for the Midshipmen in the inning.
Coppin State tried to mount a comeback in the eighth inning with two runs on two hits and a Navy error to make it a 5-4 contest.
In the ninth inning,
Trey Braithwaite (So., Winchester, Va.) tossed a perfect inning with a groundout and back-to-back strikeouts to seal the 5-4 victory for the Midshipmen. Braithwaite notched his second save in as many games to run his season total to four.
Wilson Ayers (Fr., Ashburn, Va.) got the start an allowed two runs on four hits while striking out four in 3-2/3 innings.
Sante Grossi (So., Riverside, Calif.) climbed to 2-0 on the season in 3-2/3 innings out of the bullpen where he struck out three, gave three hits and two runs -- one earned.
Dalton Baker (Fr., Sebring, Fla.) recorded two outs in the eighth inning, facing two batters and striking out one.
Carter Harbut (0-2) suffered the loss in a five-inning start where he gave up four runs on five hits.
The Midshipmen continue their midweek slate on Wednesday night at 6 p.m. against UMBC in Baltimore, Md.
