BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Navy (17-15) finished its 2021 campaign on Sunday afternoon following a 5-0 loss in the third game of the Patriot League Semifinal series at Lehigh (23-17). The Mountain Hawks used a five-run third inning to beat the Midshipmen in the winner-take-all contest in Bethlehem, Pa.
 
Colin Smith (So., Wilmington, Del.) was the lone Navy hitter with a multi-hit game as he went 2-for-3 at the plate. Zach Powers (Fr., Centreville, Md.) paced the Midshipmen's pitching staff with five scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
 
"Again, Lehigh had a lefty that gave us a hard time. He pitched at three different speeds and kept us off-balance," head coach Paul Kostacopoulos said after the game. "Then we had the one inning where Lehigh was able to get five runs and that was kind of the story of the game. Zach Powers pitched very well for us and gave us a chance to stay in the game, but it really boiled down to that."
 
Lehigh continued the trend of scoring first as the Mountain Hawks put up a five-spot in the third inning after they scored their five runs on four hits. With Lehigh holding the 5-0 lead, Navy looked to work its way back into the contest as the Midshipmen loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fifth inning. However, a double play and a strikeout extinguished Navy's scoring threat as Lehigh maintained the five-run lead through the fifth inning.
 
Powers kept Navy within striking distance as he did not allow a run and only gave up two hits in his five-inning outing out of the bullpen.
 
"He had a good outing, he gave us a chance," Kostacopoulos said about Powers keeping Navy within striking distance. "We had a chance in the middle innings with the bases loaded and no outs but they were able to get out of it and that was kind of the turning point in the game. I think if we were able to get something there we would have been able to extend the game and give ourselves a chance. But they got out of it and that kept the momentum on their side."
 
After the Midshipmen loaded the bases in the fifth inning, they were held to just two hits over the final four innings. Both of Navy's hits were back-to-back two-out singles in the top of the ninth inning from Nico Valdez (So., Stevenson Ranch, Calif.) and Colin Smith. The Midshipmen's rally attempt was wiped out as Lehigh left both runners stranded and the Mountain Hawks won the winner-take-all contest, 5-0.
 
Reece Early (So., Reisterstown, Md.) suffered the loss for the Midshipmen after allowing five runs on six hits in 2-2/3 innings of work.
 
Luke Rettig grabbed the win for Lehigh after shutting out Navy for seven innings where he struck out eight, walked four and allowed three hits.
 
Navy finishes its 2021 season with a record of 17-15 overall.