ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Navy (13-9, 8-9 Patriot League) capped off its four-game weekend series against Holy Cross (8-12, 7-9 Patriot League) with a split in Sunday's doubleheader at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium. The Midshipmen plated eight runs in the second inning of game one to start the day with a 13-10 win, but dropped an 8-0 contest to finish out the weekend.
 
In the first game of the day, Zach Stevens (Jr., Lexington, Mass.) finished with a 3-for-4 game on two doubles and a triple while also picking up five RBIs. Alex Smith (So., Laguna Hills, Calif.) also had a three-hit game along with three RBIs. Christian Policelli (Jr., Walkersville, Md.) was the lone Midshipmen to record a hit in both games of the doubleheader.
 
"We did a good job on offense to start the day. I thought a bunch of guys had good games," head coach Paul Kostacopoulos said. "We had a really good approach and we were able to stay on a lot of glove-side fastballs. Conversely, in the second game, their pitcher had three pitches going and he caused us to expand our zone. He was able to effectively pitch up in the zone and drop breaking balls in. Credit it to him, that was really the story of the second game. I was really proud of Jared, he is going out there a little banged up and gave us a really good start. That was something we needed in the second game."
 
Navy 13, Holy Cross 10
 
For the second-straight day, both Navy and Holy Cross got their offenses going in the first game of the doubleheader with another contest that surpassed 20 runs combined between the two sides.
 
In the first inning, the Midshipmen got their two-out offense rolling with Policelli singling up the middle, and just two pitches later, Stevens doubled to the gap in right-center field to drive in Navy's first run of the game. The one-run lead did not last for the Midshipmen after the Crusaders pushed across two runs in the top of the second inning.
 
However, Navy hung the first crooked number on the board with an eight-run second inning on seven hits. The Midshipmen loaded the bases to start the inning with a pair of walks and a double from Alex Smith. Eduardo Diaz (Fr., Miami, Fla.) beat out an infield single to score Nico Valdez (Jr., Stevenson Ranch, Calif.) and keep the bases loaded. Zane Raba (Fr., San Antonio, Texas) regained the lead for the Midshipmen with a single out to right field and then with one out in the frame, Policelli belted a two-run double to left-center field to push the lead to 5-2.
 
Following a pitching change for Holy Cross, Navy's offense kept its foot on the gas as Stevens brought in two more runs with his second double of the day. Logan Keller (Fr., Longwood, Fla.) extended the lead with an infield single to bring home Stevens and then Alex Smith capped off the eight-run frame with a single through the left of the infield.
 
With the 9-2 lead, Navy added two more runs to its lead with Stevens' last two RBIs of the game on a two-out triple to right field bringing in Diaz and Raba.
 
Holy Cross slowly worked its way back into the game with two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to pull within five. The Midshipmen countered the two runs from the Crusaders in the sixth inning after Alex Smith tripled to right field to drive in Valdez and Keller to give Navy a 13-6 lead.
 
In the seventh inning, the Crusaders tried to rally once again as they scored four runs on three hits, but Trey Braithwaite (Sr., Winchester, Va.) came into the game with Navy holding the three-run lead and retired the side in order to secure the 13-10 victory for the Midshipmen.
 
With the save in game one, Braithwaite tied the record of most career saves in school history with 17. Braithwaite is now tied with JD Melton – who pitched from 2007-09.
 
Reece Early (So., Reisterstown, Md.) grabbed the win after throwing five innings and allowing four runs on five hits.
 
Liam Dvorak suffered the loss for Holy Cross after allowing seven runs on six hits in 1-1/3 innings of work.
 
Holy Cross 8, Navy 0
 
After a high-scoring first three games where the two teams combined for 62 runs, game four started off as a pitcher's duel with a scoreless first four innings of the game. Jared Leins (Sr., Raleigh, N.C.) held the Crusaders hitless through his four innings of work where he allowed only a leadoff walk and then retired the next 12 in order. The senior captain finished with four strikeouts in his start.
 
On the flip side, Luke Dawson only allowed three hits for the entire game as he tossed a complete-game shutout.
 
The Holy Cross offense got going in the fifth inning as it scored four runs in the frame on three hits against the Navy bullpen. Then in the sixth inning, the Crusaders tacked on two more runs. With the 6-0 lead, Holy Cross pushed across a run in the seventh and ninth innings to secure the 8-0 win in game two to split the doubleheader and the weekend series.
 
Brandon Yu (Sr., Perry Hall, Md.) pitched one inning and allowed six runs on three hits and four walks in the loss for Navy.
 
Dawson ended the game with seven strikeouts and allowed only three hits and four walks.
 
Navy wraps up its five-game homestand on Wednesday night against Coppin State at 6 p.m. from Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium.