ANNAPOLIS, Md. – A few key moments decided the game in the Navy baseball team's 7-3 loss to Sacred Heart on Friday evening at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium.
 
Friday's result moved the Midshipmen to 2-6 on the young season, while the visiting Pioneers won their third-straight contest and raised their record to 3-4 overall.
 
Leading the way for SHU was Zack Kovalchik with four hits and two runs scored, while Navy sophomore Tyler Bouchard proved to be the Mids' offense highlight with a double and two RBI.
 
While both teams put runners on in the first, Sacred Heart struck the opening blow in the second inning when Steak Newman laced an RBI single through the left side while JW Fitzgerald also singled home a run two batters later through the right side. Navy answered quickly though, putting its first two batters on in the bottom of the second and setting the stage for Bouchard to drive in fellow sophomore Evan Brown later in the frame on a groundout, cutting the lead to 2-1.
 
Kovalchik extended the Pioneers' lead back to two runs in the top of the third when he plated Dante D'Amore with a single into centerfield, while Sacred Heart starter Joey Trombley escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the third by inducing the inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.
 
With sophomore Brady Bendik finally settling in by retiring the side in the fourth and fifth innings, Navy tied the game in the fourth thanks to Bouchard's RBI double that scored freshman Noah Ditas and junior RBI single right after to bring in Bouchard, but Trombley then worked a strikeout and flyout to leave the bases loaded again.
 
Sacred Heart broke through again in the sixth, as Chuck Tallman doubled home two runners and Peter Link roped an RBI single into right to drive in Tallman later in the inning.
 
While senior Liam Golden worked out of a bases-loaded situation in the seventh to keep the deficit in check, Navy could not figure out Pioneers reliever Ryan Redmond, as the righty sat down 12 of the 14 batters he faced to eliminate any chance of a Mids rally and pick up his first save of 2025.
 
Trombley finished his five-inning start with three strikeouts and held Navy to three runs on nine hits to earn the win, while Redmond totaled four strikeouts in his four scoreless frames.
 
Bendik suffered the loss despite notching four strikeouts, allowing five runs in his 5.1 innings, while senior Owen Beisty went 0.2 innings out of the bullpen before handing the ball to Golden for the seventh and junior Adyn Lucero for the final two innings.
 
Game Notes
• Navy is now 0-1 in the all-time series with Sacred Heart.
• Sophomore Andrew Manning reached base safely in four of his five trips to the plate, recording a single, double and two walks.
• Freshman Owen Peterson recorded his first multi-hit contest with two singles.
• Navy has now stolen multiple bases in three of its last four games.
 
Up Next
Navy and Sacred Heart will continue the series Saturday, with first pitch at 1 p.m.