ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Junior Henry Mitchell's pinch-hit single in the ninth inning gave the Navy baseball team (5-9) its second-straight walk-off win and a series split, as the Midshipmen pulled out the 4-3 victory over UMass (5-5-1) in Sunday afternoon's series finale at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium.
 
Supported by Mitchell's game-winning hit and sophomore Evan Brown's two-RBI performance, the Navy pitching staff had a banner day by striking out a season-high 15 Minutemen, including a nine-strikeout outing from sophomore right-hander Matt Archibald in a four-inning start.
 
UMass grabbed the opening lead for the fourth time on the weekend, as Anthony Tirado used a hit-by-pitch to get on base, stole twice and then raced home after an errant throw on his second steal to put the Minutemen up, 1-0.
 
Archibald settled in after the opening inning by racking up nine strikeouts in his four frames of work, while his offense backed him up in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run burst to take a 3-1 lead. Loading the bases, junior Victor Izquierdo continued his hot weekend by putting a sacrifice fly to the warning track that scored fellow junior Brock Murtha, while Brown then put a double past third base to plate sophomore Jack Killelea and freshman Ty DePerno.
 
Sam Hill brought the Minutemen within one run in the top of the sixth with a solo shot to straight-away center, while Jack Beverly's solo homer down the right-field line in the seventh evened the game at 3-3, but rookie lefty Spencer Stephens then entered the game to retire five-straight batters and then worked out of a jam in the ninth to leave the go-ahead run on third base.
 
After a lead-off out to start the bottom of the ninth, Navy loaded the bases as Killelea walked, Izquierdo doubled and Brown was intentionally walked, bringing up the pinch-hitting Mitchell. After looking at two balls, Mitchell pulled a pitch down the right-field line to score DePerno and empty the Navy dugout in celebration.
 
Archibald finished his four frames with one run allowed on two hits, walking three to his career-high nine punchouts, while Jackson Beattie followed for 2.2 innings, giving up two runs but striking out a pair, and Stephens wrapped up 2.1 scoreless innings with four strikeouts to get the win.
 
Exiting with an injury, Justin Masteralexis ended his 3.1-inning start for UMass with two runs allowed on one hit and striking out seven, before Mikey Jensen pitched 3.2 innings and surrendered one run to four strikeouts. Dylan Terwilliger was handed the loss after giving up one run on two hits in 1.1 innings.
 
Game Notes
• Navy is now 9-6 in the all-time series with UMass.
• Navy's 15 strikeouts thrown are the most by the Midshipmen in a game since the 13-inning win over Princeton on March 9, 2024, and are the most in a nine-inning contest since 15 punchouts in a 10-0 victory against UMass on Feb. 29, 2020.
• Brown ends the weekend on a five-game hitting streak, tallying three extra-base knocks in that span.
• Izquierdo extended his on-base streak to nine games, while Murtha prolonged his on-base streak to eight games.
• Archibald's nine strikeouts are the most by a Navy pitcher in a single game since Nate Mitchell's 10-strikeout start against Lehigh on March 25, 2023.
 
Up Next
Navy will head to Fordham for a midweek matchup on Wednesday at 3 p.m.