ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy baseball team (10-15, 2-6 Patriot League) is scheduled to return to Patriot League play over the weekend as it travels to take on Lehigh (13-11, 1-3 Patriot League) and Lafayette (8-18, 3-1 Patriot League) in a pair of doubleheaders. The Midshipmen and Mountain Hawks will meet for a twin bill on Saturday in Bethlehem, prior to the Mids taking on the Leopards in Easton on Sunday. First pitch of game one on both Saturday and Sunday is scheduled for noon.
 
Free, live statistics of all four games will be available on NavySports.com, while live video via ESPN+ will be available for both games of Sunday's doubleheader at Lafayette. Neither of the two games at Lehigh will be streamed. ESPN+ is a subscription-based streaming service that requires users to sign-up for a monthly or yearly plan before viewing its content.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
Over 141 all-time meetings, in a series that dates back to the 1895 season, Navy has a 91-50 advantage over Lehigh. Last season, over nine games, the Mountain Hawks posted a 6-3 record over Navy that included meeting in the semifinal round of the Patriot League Tournament. Lehigh took the first game of the series, 10-5, before the Mids bounced back with a 3-1 victory in 10 innings to force a deciding third game. In game three, the Mountain Hawks earned a 5-0 win after limiting the Navy lineup to just five hits. In a series that dates back to the 1900 season, the Midshipmen have played to a 95-45-2 advantage over 142 meetings against Lafayette. The Leopards and Midshipmen split a four-game, home-and-home series last season that included each of the teams winning their two home games of the set.
 
NAVY PRIMER
Overall Record: 10-15
Home Record: 5-10
Away Record: 3-4
Neutral Record: 2-1
Patriot League Record / Standings: 2-6 / Fifth
Streak: L4
Head Coach: Paul Kostacopoulos I 17th Season at Navy, 33rd Overall (995-667-7)
 
SCOUTING THE MIDSHIPMEN
LAST TIME OUT: Last time out, Navy fell to UMBC in the first game of a 10-game road swing, 11-5, Tuesday night in Baltimore. After trailing by six runs, 7-1, through the first six innings of play, the Midshipmen responded with three runs on four hits in the top of the seventh to bring the Retriever lead to just 7-4. However, UMBC posted four runs over the final three innings to secure an 11-5 victory over the Mids. Alex Smith (Jr., Laguna Hills, Calif.) led the way for the Navy offense against the Retrievers, going 3-for-4 with an RBI double, in addition to Logan Keller (So., Longwood, Fla.) adding a 2-for-5 showing to round out the Mids' multi-hit efforts. 
 
POWERFUL POLICELLI: After picking up a hit against UMBC on Tuesday, Christian Policelli (Sr., Walkersville, Md.) extended his current hitting streak to four games. The senior backstop been the top bat in the Navy lineup throughout the 2022 season, posting a team-best 12 multi-hit games, along with leading in the team in batting average (.347), OPS (.942), slugging percentage (.516), on-base percentage (.426), stolen bases (7), runs scored (14), hits (33), doubles (8), and total bases (49). Policelli is also tied for the team lead in home runs (2), while being tied for second in triples (1). The senior has already set new career-best marks for a single season in hits, doubles and stolen bases, while his current marks in batting average, slugging percentage and OPS would also be career-high totals should they stand.
 
STEVENS FINDS HIS STRIDE: After recording a .156 batting average (5-for-32) through the first 10 games of the 2022 season, Navy first baseman Zach Stevens (Sr., Lexington, Mass.) has found his stride at the plate over the last 15 games. The senior is hitting .333 (15-for-45) over that 15-game stretch, including a home run, two doubles, seven runs scored and seven RBI, along with having a .426 on-base percentage and slugging at a .444 clip.
 
LIGHTS OUT: Sophomore reliever Nolan Jorgenson (Eastvale, Calif.) has proven to be the top relief pitcher for the Midshipmen this season, posting team-best marks in ERA (2.25), innings pitched (24) and appearances (12). Jorgenson has limited opposing hitters to just a .237 batting average against, in addition to allowing just eight runs, six being earned, striking out nine batters and earning a save.
 
CLOSING TIME: Joining Jorgenson among the top relievers for Navy in 2022 is newcomer Landon Kruer (Fr., Sellersburg, Ind.), who leads the way amongst the Midshipmen pitching staff in saves (3), earned runs allowed (3), hits allowed (6) and batting average against (.167).
 
ROUNDING OUT THE LINEUP: Rounding out the top-performing hitters for Navy this season is the trio of Keller, Ivan Aguirre (Fr., Temple City, Calif.) and Colin Smith (Jr., Wilmington, Del.). Keller, who is hitting .242 (23-for-95), ranks second on the team in hits (23) and RBI (13) this season, along with totaling a triple, two doubles and two home runs. Aguirre, a .250 hitter (12-for-48) in 2022, has recorded a double, a triple and three RBI, in addition to scoring seven runs. Despite hitting only .225 (16-for-71), Colin Smith has proven to be a power threat over 20 games in the Navy lineup with two home runs, two doubles and 12 RBI.

TOP OF THE HEAP: Among Patriot League teams this season, the Midshipmen pitching staff is tied for first in saves (5), second in walks allowed (105), third in innings pitched (207) and fourth in batting average against (.287). Offensively, Navy is first in triples (8) and second in home runs (13), while having the least number of strikeouts among league teams (152). Individually, Policelli ranks second in the league in hits (33), in addition to being third in doubles (8), fifth in batting average (.347) and seventh in slugging percentage (.516), on-base percentage (.426) and stolen bases (7), while Stevens is tied for second in triples (2). Among Patriot League pitchers, Kruer is first in saves (3), followed by Jorgenson who is tied for third (1).
 
NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: Entering the weekend, the Mids rank 24th nationally in triples (8), while being 31st in fielding percentage (.978). Individually, Policelli is ninth in the toughest to strike out category (22.5), while Matthew Shirah (So., Blue Ridge, Ga.) is 17th in games started (6). Rounding out the Navy presence among the Division-I statistical leaders is Jorgenson, who is tied for the 42nd-most appearances by a pitcher this season (12).
 
HOT STREAKS: Over the last five games, Stevens ranks as the leading hitter for Navy with a .375 batting average (6-for-16). The senior has a double, an RBI and four runs scored over that span, and is followed by Zane Raba (So., San Antonio, Texas) who is hitting .250 (4-for-16) with two doubles and four runs scored over the five-game stretch.  
 
NAVY HITTERS vs. LEHIGH: Policelli leads the way for current hitters on the Navy roster against Lehigh, hitting .333 (14-for-42) in his career against the Mountain Hawks with a double, three runs scored and 11 RBI. Stevens is a .240 (12-for-50) career hitter against Lehigh, including a home run, two doubles, six runs scored and six RBI. Keller has eight hits in 33 career at-bats against Mountain Hawks' pitchers, including a home run, two doubles and six RBI, while Colin Smith has tallied a .292 batting average (7-for-24) over eight appearances against the Mountain Hawks, posting a stolen base, two runs scored and three RBI. 
 
NAVY PITCHERS vs. LEHIGH: Zach Powers (So., Centreville, Md.) tallied a career-best outing against Lehigh last season, going five innings and allowing just two hits while striking out three batters. Trent Topping (Sr., Temecula, Calif.) has appeared in five games against the Mountain Hawks, pitching 3.2 innings, in which he allowed two runs on six hits while striking out two batters.
 
NAVY HITTERS vs. LAFAYETTE: Keller has an outstanding .588 career batting average (10-for-17) against Lafayette, including a double, a home run, two triples and seven RBI. Policelli has appeared in 10 games against the Leopards, hitting .281 (11-for-32) with a triple, two doubles, two home runs and eight RBI, along with walking nine times and scoring 11 runs. Joe Simourian (Sr., Andover, Mass.) is a .355 career hitter (11-for-31) against Lafayette, posting a double, a home run and three RBI, while Stevens has a .372 career batting average (16-for-43) against the Leopards, highlighted by a triple, two home runs, three doubles and 11 RBI.
 
NAVY PITCHERS vs. LAFAYETTE: Topping has made four appearances against Lafayette in his career, allowing three runs over four innings of work. Colin Jones (Sr., Collierville, Tenn.) allowed two runs over 2.1 innings in his lone career appearance against the Leopards.
 
CHASING 1,000: Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos, now in his 17th season at the helm of the Midshipmen baseball program and 33rd season as a head coach, sits just five wins shy of 1,000 for his career. Kostacopoulos would become just the 16th active coach across all divisions, and 89th all-time, to eclipse the 1,000-win plateau.
 
LEHIGH PRIMER
Overall Record: 13-11
Home Record: 5-1
Away Record: 5-9
Neutral Record: 3-1
Patriot League Record / Standings: 1-3 / Sixth
Streak: L4
Head Coach: Sean Leary I 27th Season (536-671-7)
 
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAIN HAWKS
LAST TIME OUT: The Mountain Hawks were last in action on March 29, dropping a 3-0 decision at home to Rider. Lehigh, one of the top-offensive teams in the Patriot League this season, were limited to just five hits against the Broncs starting pitcher, Kenny Quijano, who earned the win after allowing just four hits and striking out three batters over six innings of work. Prior to its contest against Rider, Lehigh opened its Patriot League season by losing three out of four games to Lafayette.
 
AT THE PLATE: Riley Davis has a team-best .363 batting average (29-for-80), including a triple, two home runs, seven doubles and 16 RBI. Jake Whitlinger is hitting .342 (26-for-76) with a home run, five doubles and 11 RBI in 2022 for the Mountain Hawks, while Justin Butler has been a consistent power threat for Lehigh, hitting a league-leading seven home runs and driving in 20 RBI.
 
ON THE MOUND: Luke Rettig has proven to be the top starting pitcher in the Patriot League this season, yielding just one earned run over 35 innings pitched for a 0.26 ERA. The senior has a 5-1 record over that span, striking out 41 batters and walking just 15, in addition to giving up just a .181 batting average against. Ben Christian has an ERA of 3.42 over 26.1 innings pitched this season for the Mountain Hawks, in addition to allowing a .206 batting average against.
 
LAFAYETTE PRIMER
Overall Record: 8-18
Home Record: 5-1
Away Record: 3-14
Neutral Record: 0-3
Patriot League Record / Standings: 3-1 / Second
Streak: W4
Head Coach: Tim Reilly I Second Season (22-35)
 
SCOUTING THE LEOPARDS
LAST TIME OUT: Last time out, Lafayette earned a 9-3 win over Penn, extending its current win streak to four-straight games. Prior to their win over Penn on Tuesday, the Leopards took three of four games from Lehigh in its Patriot League opening series, taking the second game of Saturday's doubleheader before taking both games against the Mountain Hawks on Sunday.
 
AT THE PLATE: Justin Grech leads the way for Lafayette at the plate, hitting .306 (30-for-98) with a home run, two doubles, two triples and 18 RBI, along with stealing 12 bases and scoring 27 runs. Pete Ciuffreda is second on the team in hitting, posting a .304 batting average (31-for-102), that includes two home runs, nine doubles and a league-leading 28 RBI.
 
ON THE MOUND: Jake Bloss has seen the most action on the mound for Lafayette this season, pitching 39 innings over eight appearances, seven being starts. The sophomore has yielded 36 runs, 29 being earned, on 51 hits over that span for a 6.69 ERA. Jordan Yoder has pitched the second-most innings this season for the Leopards (34.2), allowing 25 earned runs on 44 hits for a 6.49 ERA.  
 
UP NEXT
Following its four-game weekend against Lehigh and Lafayette, Navy is set to return to action April 6 for a mid-week road contest against Maryland, prior to traveling to open a three-game set against Holy Cross.