ANNAPOLIS, Md. – With sophomore Tyler Grenn allowing just one run across a career-best 6.1 innings, the Navy baseball team (5-7) backed up his quality start by scoring four runs in the seventh to earn the 4-3 victory over UMBC (1-7) on Tuesday afternoon at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium.
 
Senior Eduardo Diaz's two-run single followed by back-to-back RBI singles from sophomore Brock Murtha and freshman Andrew Manning in the seventh proved to be the difference for Navy after being no-hit for the first six innings, with Murtha continuing his torrid stretch by reaching base three times and swiping his Patriot League-leading eighth stolen base.
 
With Grenn holding the Retrievers off the scoreboard until after he exited the game in the seventh inning and the UMBC tandem of Logan Wiley and Eddie Sargent keeping the Mids hitless for the first six frames, each side got a runner to third base with two outs in the third, but pitchers were able to work out of both of those jams.
 
Grenn was finally relieved in the seventh after a Gabe Ruiz leadoff double and a Nick Pratt lineout, but freshman Owen Geiger walked Jesiah Carpenter and a Timmy Virtudes strikeout was followed by a two-run hit from Justin Taylor to hand UMBC the 2-0 lead.
 
Answering right back in the bottom of the seventh, Navy loaded the bases with no outs after senior Zane Raba's bunt single, giving Diaz the chance to poke a single through the left side and drive in senior Hudson Lehnertz and sophomore Mac McCommons to tie the game. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners over, as Murtha and Manning then singled back-to-back into left field to plate two more runs and hand Navy a 4-2 edge.
 
UMBC tried to rally back by loading the bases in the eighth and drawing a Carpenter hit-by-pitch that scored Matt Ryan, cutting the Navy lead to 4-3, but Murtha shut the door on the mound by retiring four of the Retrievers' final five batters.
 
Grenn wrapped up his day with a career-high four strikeouts as well, allowing six hits and two walks in the no-decision, while Geiger faced one batter, Virtudes got the win after allowing one run in 1.1 innings and Murtha notched the save by recording the final four outs.
 
Wiley ended up with three strikeouts to five walks in 5.1 no-hit innings and Sargent piggy-backed with one strikeout and one walk in 0.2 frames, but Robert Dorn surrendered two runs without recording an out and Pucek got one out before allowing two more runs and receiving the loss. Ben Craig then notched two outs for UMBC before Sam Daniels pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
 
Coach Chuck Ristano Comments
"We have to learn how to win these tight ballgames and today helps us towards that."
 
"Grenn was outstanding again and their guy matched him pitch-for-pitch. While we were a bit stifled offensively, our pitching and defense was rock solid and it was good to see us do both at a high level. We talk about seizing the opportunities when they present themselves and, in that seventh inning, it was great to string together quality at-bats and put a crooked number on the board."
 
"The game was perpetually in the balance. After they took a lead, our collective resilience was tested and I am extremely pleased by our response. We made two excellent defensive plays in the ninth to finish the game, and this was a very rewarding win."
 
Game Notes
• Navy is now 25-29 in the all-time series with UMBC, but have not lost a home game to the Retrievers since 2017.
• Murtha extended his on-base streak to 13 games and his hitting streak to six-straight contests.
• Grenn is the first Navy pitcher to work six-plus innings this season and the first to record a quality start.
• Tuesday marked the first save for Murtha in eight career pitching appearances.
• This was Diaz's third multi-RBI game of the season.
 
Up Next
Navy is set to host Coppin State on Wednesday afternoon, with first pitch slated for 3 p.m.