ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy baseball team (0-0) is slated to begin its 2022 season as it welcomes UMBC (0-0) to Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium for a two-game set Friday-Saturday.
The Mids and Retrievers will open the two-game series on Friday at 2 p.m. followed by a 1 p.m. first pitch on Saturday. Free, live statistics of both contests will be available via NavySports.com.
ALL-TIME SERIES vs. UMBC
Over 49 all-time meetings between Navy and UMBC, the Retrievers hold a slight 27-22 edge over the Midshipmen. The two programs last met during the 2020 season for a single game in Annapolis that saw the Mids come away with an 8-6 victory.
NAVY PRIMER
Overall Record: 0-0
Patriot League Preseason Poll: Second
2021 Final Record: 17-15 (11-12 Patriot League South Division)
Streak: L1
Head Coach: Paul Kostacopoulos I 17th Season at Navy, 33rd Overall (985-652-7)
SCOUTING THE MIDSHIPMEN
PATRIOT LEAGUE PRESEASON HONORS: Prior to the start of the 2022 season, the Patriot League released its Preseason All-League team that featured a trio of Midshipmen. Catcher
Christian Policelli (Sr., Walkersville, Md.) and first baseman
Zach Stevens (Sr., Lexington, Mass.) were named to the 15-member Preseason All-League squad while shortstop
Eduardo Diaz (So., Miami, Fla.) garnered recognition as the Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
YEAR 17 FOR KOSTACOPOULOS: Navy head coach
Paul Kostacopoulos returns for his 17th season at the helm of the Midshipmen baseball program in 2022. Over his first 16 seasons in Annapolis, Kostacopoulos has totaled 481 wins which ranks as the second-most victories by a head coach in program history behind Joe Duff who totaled 595. Kostacopoulos is seeking to become just the 16th active coach across all divisions to eclipse the 1,000-win plateau, entering his 33rd overall season as a head coach with a career mark of 985-652-7.
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE: In the 16 seasons under the direction of Kostacopoulos, the Midshipmen have found great success in games played at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium, having a record of 283-168-4 for a win percentage of .626.
THE MIDS IN SEASON OPENERS: Over those same 16 seasons under Kostacopoulos, Navy has a 10-6 record in season-opening games. The Midshipmen broke a streak of four-consecutive losses in season-openers with a 7-2 victory over Coppin State to open their 2021 campaign.
NAVY HITTERS vs. UMBC: Policelli and Stevens have seen the most action at the plate against UMBC among players on the 2022 roster. Policelli has tallied two hits in 11 at-bats against Retriever pitching, including a double and two runs scored. Stevens has eight at-bats in his career against UMBC, recording two hits along with an RBI and a walk.
NAVY PITCHERS vs. UMBC: Colin Jones (Sr., Collierville, Tenn.) has pitched 3.1 innings against the Retrievers, allowing five hits and five runs while walking one and striking out a batter.
Dalton Baker (Sr., Sebring, Fla.) and
Trent Topping (Sr., Temecula, Calif.) have each made one appearance apiece against UMBC, both pitching one inning without allowing a run.
AROUND THE INFIELD: The Navy infield returns largely intact for the 2022 season, highlighted by its two returning seniors in Policelli and Stevens. Policelli, a 2021 All-Patriot League First-Team selection, posted a team-high .340 batting average last season in addition to recording a triple, two home runs, four doubles and a career-high 22 RBI along with walking 12 times and scoring 22 runs.
Stevens, a two-time All-Patriot League honoree, is back for his senior season after hitting .300 with a team-leading four home runs and eight doubles along with recording two triples and 27 RBI. Stevens' .500-slugging percentage was a team-best mark while also reaching base at a .387 clip.
Following a breakout freshman campaign,
Logan Keller (So., Longwood, Fla.) returns to man the hot corner for the Mids. Keller drove in a team-high 35 RBI in addition to recording two home runs, three triples and seven doubles.
Diaz returns as the everyday shortstop for the Midshipmen after recording a .988 fielding percentage at the position in 2021. The sophomore also showed promise at the plate, tallying five doubles, driving in eight RBI and scoring 19 runs.
Joining Policelli behind the plate this season will be 2020 Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American
Alex Smith (Jr., Laguna Hills, Calif.) who hit .225 with a triple, five doubles and 10 RBI last season.
Among the key reserves returning to the Navy infield in 2022 are
Hudson Lehnertz (So., Santa Ana, Calif.), who hit .556 with four RBI over nine games played in 2021, and
Dalton Jackson (Sr., Chesapeake, Va.) who tallied four hits in 13 at-bats last season. The pairing of
Kiel Brenczewski (Jr., Fishers, Ind.) and
Brian Furey (So., Strathmere, N.J.) round out the returning reserve infielders as the pairing combined last season for four hits, including a double, and five RBI.
A LOOK TO THE OUTFIELD: Zane Raba (So., San Antonio, Texas) highlights a group of six returning outfielders for the Midshipmen in 2022. The sophomore standout hit .288 with a double, two triples and seven RBI along with stealing a team-high six bases.
Colin Smith (Jr., Wilmington, Del.) is back after posting a .289 batting average with a double, a triple, two home runs and 20 RBI.
Rounding out the top-returning outfielders for the Mids is the duo of
Joe Simourian (Sr., Andover, Mass.) and
Kyle Rausch (Jr., Middle Island, N.Y.). Simourian posted a team-high four triples in 2021 along with hitting two home runs and driving in 12 RBI while Rausch recorded three doubles and four RBI. Additional returners to the outfield include the duo of
Nick Burch (Jr., Hollywood, Md.) and
Anthony Fiallo (So., Bethesda, Md.).
ON THE MOUND: In the starting rotation, Navy returns the trio of
Reece Early (So., Reistertown, Md.),
Nate Mitchell (Jr., Parker, Colo.) and
Matthew Shirah (So., Blue Ridge, Ga.). Over 32 innings pitched last season, Early posted a 1-2 record in 10 appearances, seven being starts, striking out 17 batters.
Mitchell has appeared in eight games over his first two seasons, recording 13 strikeouts in 16 innings pitched. Shirah enters his sophomore campaign after appearing in eight games with one start last season notching eight strikeouts over 14 innings pitched.
In the bullpen, Navy returns several arms highlighted by the senior trio Baker, Jones and Topping, along with sophomore
Zach Powers (So., Centreville, Md.). Baker returns after pitching a career-high 27 innings for the Midshipmen in 2021, posting a record of 4-2 and striking 22 batters over 12 appearances.
After bursting onto the scene in 2020 with a 1.74 ERA over seven relief appearances, Jones tossed 8.1 innings over seven appearances last season, tallying 12 strikeouts.
Powers finished 2021 with a 1.64 ERA, the second-best mark on the team, over five appearances out of the bullpen. The sophomore struck out eight batters while walking five over 11 innings of work, yielding just a .179 batting average against.
Topping made five appearances last season, tallying three strikeouts over three innings of work, highlighted by a two-strikeout performance against Lehigh.
Also returning to the bullpen for the Mids this season will be junior
Thomas Russell (Jr., Fairfax, Va.) along with the sophomores
Zach Ward (So., Mokena, Ill.) and
Nolan Jorgenson (So., Eastvale, Calif.).
Jorgenson appeared in six games out of the bullpen as a freshman where he tossed 7.1 innings while Ward made his collegiate debut against Coppin State, striking out three batters in 1.2 innings of work. Russell will look to make an impact in 2022 after not appearing in a game last season due to injury.
NEW FACES: New to the Navy baseball program in 2022 is the 13-member freshman class of infielder
Ivan Aguirre (Temple City, Calif.), pitcher
Owen Archer (Frisco, Texas), infielder
Max Awtry (Hockessin, Del.), pitcher Owen Biesty (Wayne, Pa.), pitcher
Evan Broaderick (Milton, Ga.), outfielder
Jack Finnigan (Capistrano, Calif.), pitcher
Liam Golden (Springfield, Va.), pitcher
Evan Hamill (Stafford, Va.), outfielder
Thomas Joseph (Lothian, Md.), pitcher
Landon Kruer (Sellersburg, Ind.), infielder
Brendan Munnelly (Annapolis, Md.), infielder
Ricky Rushton (Worcester, Mass.) and pitcher
Tanner Wade (Fayetteville, Ark.).
UMBC PRIMER
Overall Record: 0-0
America East Preseason Poll: Seventh
2021 Final Record: 17-26 (12-26 America East)
Streak: L6
Head Coach: Liam Bowen I Third Season (20-36)
SCOUTING THE RETRIEVERS
TOP-RETURNING HITTERS: Ian Diaz returns as the top hitter for the Retrievers in 2022 after hitting .346 with two triples, seven doubles, eight home runs and 29 RBI last season. Diaz is followed by Drew Roberts who posted a .291 batting average with a team-high 10 doubles in addition to driving in 20 RBI and scoring 30 runs.
TOP-RETURNING PITCHERS: Reid Celata enters 2022 as the top arm for UMBC after pitching a staff-high 56 innings last season to the tune of a 5.79 ERA after allowing 44 runs, 36 being earned, on 64 hits while striking out 30 batters. Luke Johnson, who appeared in 12 games with 10 starts, pitched 47 innings last season where he yielded a 6.51 ERA and 50 hits while posting a team-best 37 strikeouts.
A LOOK BACK AT 2021: In 2021, UMBC finished with a record of 17-26 that included a 12-26 mark in America East play. The Retrievers opened the season on five-game win streak, but went on to post the aforementioned 12-26 mark the rest of the way.
Among fellow America East teams, UMBC ranked second in home runs (38) and runs scored (278) in addition to being third in batting average (.263) and RBI (239). On the mound, the Retrievers struggled as a team, ranking at the bottom of the conference in team ERA (7.35), earned runs allowed (268) and batting average against (.268).
UP NEXT
Navy is slated to return to action Feb. 23 as it welcomes Coppin State to Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium for a 2 p.m. first pitch. Following their contest against the Eagles, the Midshipmen will travel to Kinston, N.C. Feb. 25-27 for a three-game series against rival Air Force that is set to be played at Grainger Stadium.
