KINSTON, N.C. – Led by junior right-hander Matthew Shirah's five-inning start and four stellar frames from the bullpen, the Navy baseball team was able to clinch the series victory at the Freedom Classic on Saturday afternoon, notching a 5-2 win over Air Force at Grainger Stadium in Kinston, N.C.
 
Moving to 2-4 on the season, the Midshipmen will look to complete the first-ever sweep at the Freedom Classic on Sunday, while the Falcons dropped to 1-5 overall with the loss.
 
Shirah combined with relievers Landon Kruer and Jackson Beattie to hold Air Force to just five hits and two walks while striking out 11 Falcons, while senior Nick Burch tallied a two-hit game at the plate and four other Navy hitters each raked a double in the contest.
 
Air Force was able to get an early advantage in the bottom of the first, as a pair of doubles from Sam Kulasingam and Jay Thomason brought Kulasingam around for the game's first run, but Shirah was then able to retire 12 of the next 14 batters he faced before giving way to Kruer.
 
As Shirah kept the Air Force batters off-balance, sophomore Ivan Aguirre brought the score even at 1-1 in the top of the third, as he was eventually able to score off a wild pitch after reaching base via hit-by-pitch. Navy charged ahead in the fourth, as Burch singled home senior Kyle Rausch and Aguirre roped a double off the left-field wall in the next at-bat to plate senior Alex Smith.
 
Air Force got one run back in the sixth when Kruer entered for Shirah, as Chase Spencer singled to drive home Kulasingam, but Kruer would prevent any further comeback attempt by sitting down eight of the next nine Falcons to come to the plate.
 
Navy tacked on two insurance runs later in the game, as senior Colin Smith scored in the seventh when a Brock Murtha line drive was dropped in the outfield, while a double down the third-base line by freshman Mac McCommons allowed Burch to cross home in the visiting half of the eighth. Kruer handed the ball off to freshman Jackson Beattie in the bottom of the ninth, as Beattie coaxed out three fly-ball outs to end the game and secure the series.
 
Shirah picked up the win, as the righty held the Falcons to three hits and one run while matching a career high with six punchouts over five innings. For Kruer, his three innings pitched and five strikeouts both established new career bests, while Beattie recorded his three outs on just five pitches. On the Air Force side, Dylan Rogers drew the loss despite six innings of work, allowing three runs on five hits and three walks, while Jason Shuger and Duke Benge both allowed a run each out of the bullpen.
 
Paul Kostacopoulos Post-Game Comments
"We played a complete game. Matt Shirah gave us really good starting pitching, our bullpen was really solid today. We picked the ball up and made the plays we had to. I also thought we did a really good job with two outs, we made it very difficult for them to have 1-2-3 innings and we scored some runs with two outs. Overall, we played a really solid baseball game."
 
"For Shirah, that is just how you draw it up: five innings, one run, just over 80 pitches. Our pitching staff collectively struck out 11 and walked two, so that eliminates some defensive plays that you have to make, and all three pitchers really did a good job right around the plate."
 
"Baseball is a repetitive game, you got to repeat good things. We'll have to just look to tomorrow to repeat the things that we had talked about as far as being successful."
 
Game Notes
• The Mids now own a 32-29 all-time record against the Falcons, and are 17-16 when facing Air Force in Kinston, North Carolina.
• Navy has now claimed the series five times at the Freedom Classic, matching Air Force.
• Kostacopoulos is now 24-18 against Air Force during his time at Navy.
• This marks Burch's first multi-hit game since the season opener at No. 19 Virginia.
• Logan Keller has now recorded a hit in each of Navy's first six games.
• Shirah has now limited opponents to two-or-fewer earned runs in six of his last seven outings.
 
Up Next
Navy will go for the series sweep against Air Force on Sunday, as the Freedom Classic finale is set for a 12:30 p.m. first pitch from Grainger Stadium.