ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy baseball team had a pair of honorees Monday when the Patriot League office announced its first set of weekly awards for the 2026 season, as junior right-hander Brady Bendik was named the Pitcher of the Week while freshman righty Owen Phypers collected Rookie of the Week distinction.
 
Dominant starts from Bendik and Phypers helped propel the Midshipmen to a season-opening series win at Queens, with both pitchers allowing just one run in their respective starts of five-or-more innings.
 
Bendik earned Patriot League Pitcher of the Week for the second time in his career, pitching 5.2 innings of one-run ball in Navy's 12-1 opening-day win over Queens on Friday. Bendik finished with one run allowed on four hits while limiting Queens to one walk and punching out six in 5.2 innings. With the junior keeping the Royals in check for the first three frames with a pair of strikeouts and one hit allowed, Queens did not find a way to crack Bendik until his sixth inning of work with a solo shot. Over two season-opening starts (including 2025 at Richmond), Bendik has held the opposition to a combined two runs on four hits across 9.1 innings.
 
Phypers made a statement in his collegiate debut Saturday, allowing just two hits in a five-inning start in Navy's 12-4 series-finale victory at Queens. The rookie notched the win by going five innings and striking out seven, holding Queens to one run on two fifth-inning hits. Phypers retired the first nine batters he faced and nine of the first 10 Royals to come to the plate. Phypers is the first Navy freshman pitcher to earn a start in the season-opening series since Matthew Shirah tossed 2.1 innings against Coppin State on Feb. 24, 2021.
 
Navy continues the season Tuesday with its home opener against Delaware State. First pitch at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.