ANNAPOLIS, Md. – After splitting its Patriot League-opening series with Bucknell, the Navy baseball team (9-11, 2-2 PL) is slated to host a pair of league doubleheaders this weekend at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium, playing Lehigh (11-9) on Saturday, March 25 before welcoming Lafayette (3-17) to Annapolis on Sunday, March 26.
 
The Midshipmen will begin Saturday's twin-bill with the Mountain Hawks at 1 p.m., while the doubleheader with the Leopards is also set for a 1 p.m. first pitch. Both doubleheaders will be streamed on ESPN+, with Scott Wykoff on the call Saturday and Pete Medhurst handling broadcast duties for Sunday.
 
Series History vs. Lehigh
Navy is 94-52 all-time against Lehigh in a series that dates back to 1895 … With the Mids winning the last two meetings, the two teams have split the last 10 contests against each other … Navy holds an 18-7 edge over the Mountain Hawks over the last 25 meetings in Annapolis, including winning six of the last eight home games against Lehigh … Last season saw the Mids go 3-2 against the Mountain Hawks, as the teams split an April 2 doubleheader in Bethlehem before Navy took two of three in an April 16-17 series in Annapolis … Navy outscored Lehigh, 39-32, over the five games last year, including three contests where the Mids scored nine-plus runs.
 
Series History vs. Lafayette
In the all-time series with Lafayette that began in 1900, Navy holds a 97-48-2 advantage despite the teams splitting the last 10 meetings … The last 25 meetings between the teams in Annapolis have seen the Mids post a 20-5 record over the Leopards … Navy has swept or split nine of its last 10 doubleheaders against Lafayette … The Leopards enter Sunday on a two-game winning streak over the Mids and went 3-2 against Navy during the 2022 season … The season series in 2022 saw the teams split an April 4 doubleheader in Easton and the Mids win the first game of an April 30 twin-bill for head coach Paul Kostacopoulos' 500th victory at Navy, but the Leopards took the nightcap and the May 1 series finale as well by scoring 13 runs apiece in those two contests.
 
Last Time Out
Opening up league play with a four-game set against Bucknell, Navy won the first two contests in the series to split the weekend … Friday's series opener featured each member of the Navy starting lineup recording a hit in the 8-6 win, as senior Kyle Rausch returned from an injury absence with a four-RBI contest while junior Logan Keller tallied two hits … Saturday's first game saw the teams combined for five home runs, as freshman Brock Murtha and senior Colin Smith both went deep earlier in the contest before freshman Henry Mitchell smacked a walk-off homer to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning and secure a 7-6 Navy victory … The nightcap on Saturday went in Bucknell's favor despite sophomore Liam Golden holding the Bison to three runs over the first four innings, as Bucknell's batters scored 14 runs on the Navy bullpen over the final three innings en route to a 17-4 win … Despite Navy scratching across three runs in the first inning, Bucknell fought their way back in Sunday's series finale to win, 6-3, and earn the weekend split … The rubber match in the season series is slated for April 19 in Lewisburg.
 
Keller and Diaz Nearing Century Mark
Junior infielders Logan Keller and Eduardo Diaz have been pillars of consistency and durability for the Mids since their 2021 debuts, Keller has now started 97 straight games for the Mids while Diaz is right behind him at 90 consecutive starts for Navy … A 2021 All-Patriot League Second Teamer and Longwood, Florida product, Keller has appeared in every game for the Mids since the season opener of his freshman year, including a streak of 79 straight starts at third base before starting at first base on Feb. 24 against Air Force … The 2022 PL Defensive Player of the Year and a Miami native, Diaz has started every Navy game since the first half of a April 3, 2021 doubleheader against Lehigh, with the last 87 starts all coming at shortstop.
 
Smitty Heating Up
After slow start in the team's first seven games, senior Alex Smith has been phenomenal for Navy since the calendar hit March … The Mids' catcher has posted a .341 batting average in 13 games this month, also tallying a .408 on-base percentage and a .568 slugging mark over 44 at-bats … Smith has tallied six extra-base hits in March to go with six RBI, eight runs scored and three walks, while also only committing one error in those 13 contests … Over his last five games, Smith is hitting .438 and has been perfect on 30 fielding chances.
 
Beattie Wins Patriot League Rookie of the Week
After another stellar relief outing in Sunday's series finale against Bucknell, freshman pitcher Jackson Beattie has been named the Patriot League Baseball Rookie of the Week on Tuesday … Beattie entered in the fifth inning of Sunday's game, pitching a career-high four innings out of the bullpen and holding Bucknell to one unearned run on three hits while walking two and striking out two batters … It marked his fifth appearance this season without an earned run allowed … The right-hander currently holds a 3.86 ERA in 14 innings pitched over seven appearances on the mound, registering eight strikeouts while limiting opponents to four walks and also picking up his first collegiate save against Air Force on Feb. 25 … Beattie has been at his best out of the bullpen, recording a 1.50 ERA in six relief outings … With Beattie's recognition, the Mids have now had back-to-back Patriot League Rookies of the Week, as freshman infielder Henry Mitchell earned weekly honors last week.
 
Starters Getting it Done
Navy's starting pitchers have combined to post a 4.15 ERA this season, tallying 73 strikeouts to 38 walks over 82.1 innings of work while holding opponents to a .264 batting average … The rotation is led by senior Nate Mitchell and his team-leading 26.1 innings, five starts and three victories, as the righty has the only complete game thrown for the team this season … Golden has been excellent in his four starts, limiting opponents to just two earned runs and eight hits over 12 innings to post a 1.50 ERA as a starter … Junior Matthew Shirah is averaging over a strikeout per inning through four starts, tallying 18 punchouts in 16.2 innings, while senior Thomas Russell also has averaged over a strikeout per inning by sitting down 20 batters across 18.1 innings and notching a 4.42 ERA in his four starts.
 
Scouting Lehigh
Picked to finish third in the Patriot League Preseason Poll, the Mountain Hawks boast a pair of preseason award winners in PL Preseason Pitcher of the Year Luke Rettig and PL Preseason Player of the Year Casey Rother … Lehigh enters Saturday at 11-9 on the season, coming off a midweek matchup against Penn where they suffered a 7-4 loss to the Quakers in extra innings at home … Andrew Kohl leads the Mountain Hawks with a .351 average and seven home runst, and Tyler Young is second on the team with a batting average of .339 … Rother has driven in a team-high 28 RBIs on top of seven doubles and six homers … This week's Patriot League Pitcher of the Week, Rettig leads the Mountain Hawks on the mound, with a 4-0 record in five starts and struck out a team-leading 27 batters in 22.1 innings.
 
Scouting Lafayette
The Leopards, who play a doubleheader at Bucknell on Friday, enter league play with a 3-17 record and have dropped their last nine contests … Preseason All-Patriot League selection Pete Ciuffreda leads the league with eight homers while also tallying a .270 average, 15 RBI and five stolen bases … Michael Zarrillo paces the team with a .293 hitting clip, while Seif Ingram is tied with Ciuffreda for team-best 15 RBI to go with three homers, with Ingram also notching three hits in Lafayette's last game at Rutgers … Blaze Fadio leads the Leopards with 14 runs scored and six steals, registering a .411 on-base clip that ranks second on the squad … On the mound, the Leopards have been led by Alex Walsh, who has posted a 4.22 ERA in 21.1 innings pitched and struck out 24 batters … Lafayette has a league-leading 29 stolen bases so far this season.
 
Up Next
Navy heads up to Baltimore on Wednesday, March 29 to play UMBC in a non-conference game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. First pitch between the Mids and Retrievers is set for 6 p.m., with tickets on sale for $10 at Orioles.com/UMBCNavyGame.