ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy baseball team (2-1) is set to kick off its home schedule on Wednesday afternoon following a big opening weekend, hosting Georgetown (0-3) in a 3 p.m. home opener at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium.
 
Wednesday's contest will start a busy seven-day stretch for the Midshipmen, as Navy will play the Hoyas before heading to Kinston, N.C., for a three-game series Friday through Sunday and then welcoming Maryland Eastern Shore to Annapolis next Tuesday.
 
A Loud Start
Navy used its offense to power its way to the series win over Elon, as the Mids entered Monday 34th in the nation with an average of 10.7 runs per game … Smashing five home runs over three games, the Mids also entered the week with 1.67 home runs per game to stand 43rd in Division I … The Navy lineup has found ways on base, as the team's eight hit-by-pitches (20th) and 22 walks drawn (49th) are among the national leaders … Navy has also been aggressive on the base paths, averaging 2.33 steals per game to rank 33rd in the country … Senior outfielder Zane Raba ranks 12th in the nation with three doubles, while Raba and sophomore Brock Murtha are tied for 19th in the NCAA with three stolen bases each.
 
Last Time Out
The first series of 2024 saw the Mids suffer a 10-2 loss on Opening Day before bouncing over the next two games to post victories of 21-13 and 9-7 at Elon, as two teams combined for 50 runs across the final two days of the series … Despite senior Matthew Shirah limiting the Phoenix to two runs in five innings and a homer from Eduardo Diaz, the Mids could not mount much more offense against Elon's Justin Mitrovich over his seven frames on Friday … Paced by a 12-run seventh inning, Navy scored its most runs in a game since 2019, as Diaz, Raba, fellow senior Logan Keller and freshman Andrew Manning all homered, with Keller finishing with a four-hit performance and Raba tallying three hits … Sunday featured Murtha, Raba and rookie Evan Brown all notching multi-hit games, with Murtha driving in three runs and also closing out the Navy victory on the mound.
 
Mids in Midweeks
Navy posted a 2-8 record in midweek games last season, going 1-4 at home in those contests … Murtha paced the Mids in midweek games last year, posting a .400 average while also walking seven times for a .525 on-base percentage, adding on two steals as well … Keller also found success in midweek contests, posting a .333 average and racking up 13 RBI while doubling four times and legging out two triples … Then-freshman Aidan Chamberlin led the team with eight midweek appearances on the mound in 2023, striking out 10 in 10.1 innings.
 
Navy Home Openers
The Mids are 8-2 in their last 10 home openers, including five-straight home-opening wins from 2018 to 2022 … Navy is 1-2 all-time against Georgetown in home openers, winning the 1989 home opener over the Hoyas, 12-6, but dropped the 2017 home opener by an 11-3 score to GU and fell by a 18-10 score in last season's home opener … Last year's first home game on Feb. 21 saw Navy fall into a 9-2 hole and fight back to tie the game 10-10 in the seventh, but the Mids could not complete the comeback despite a four-hit, two-RBI day from Keller and four RBI from Kyle Rausch.
 
Navy Notables vs. Georgetown
Keller has hit .385 (5-for-13) against Georgetown in his career, tallying two runs and three RBI … In three career games against the Hoyas, Diaz is 4-for-12 with three RBI … In two games against the Hoyas last season, Murtha collected three hits in seven at-bats and swiping two bases … Junior reliever Landon Kruer holds a 2.70 career ERA against GU, pitching 3.1 innings over two appearances and striking out three.
 
Scouting Georgetown
The Hoyas opened the 2024 season at the MLB Desert Invitational in Arizona, losing 5-2 at Grand Canyon on Opening Day before dropping a 12-3 contest to California and wrapping up the trip with a narrow 7-6 loss against Kansas State … Josh Rolling is leading Georgetown's lineup with a .375 average and three RBI, while Owen Carapellotti is batting .333 with a team-high four hits … Marcello Mastroianni leads the Hoyas with 4.2 innings pitched, as Mastroianni and Cody Bowker pace the team with five strikeouts each … GU returns a trio of All-BIG EAST performers from last season, as first-teamer Michael Eze is joined by two second-team selections in Carapellotti and Jake Hyde, with Carapellotti also taking home All-Region Second Team accolades in 2023.
 
Series History
Through 115 all-time meetings, Navy holds a 65-50 edge in the series with Georgetown … The two sides are tied at 5-5 over last 10 meetings, with the Mids dropping the last three games in the series to the Hoyas … After the home-opening loss to GU last season, Navy then went to Washington, D.C., on March 8, falling by a 7-1 score at Georgetown despite four shutout innings from starter Liam Golden.
 
Up Next
Navy and Air Force will renew their rivalry this weekend at the 2024 Freedom Classic, being held Friday through Sunday at historic Grainger Stadium in Kinston, N.C. Friday's series opener is set for 6 p.m. Friday, while Saturday's first pitch is slated for 2 p.m. and Sunday's finale beginning at 12:30 p.m.