BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Having its four-game winning streak snapped, the Navy baseball team (12-5, 0-1 PL) dropped a 3-1 pitchers' duel to Lehigh (4-10, 1-0 PL) in their Patriot League opener Friday afternoon at J. David Walker Field at Legacy Park.
 
While starter Brady Bendik bounced back after a three-run third inning with a scoreless final four frames and racking up a career-high 10 strikeouts, Navy's offense could not rally from the early deficit despite a two-hit day by Mason Ceccarelli, as Lehigh was led by Aidan Quinn's own two-hit outing and Christopher Nell holding the Midshipmen to one hit in a four-inning save.
 
A pair of infield singles to start the bottom of the third allowed the Mountain Hawks to open the scoring, as Raffaele Rogers then sneaked a double down the third-base line to Silvio Giardina and Aidan Quinn followed with his own RBI single through the left side to plate Dom Patrizi for a 2-0 lead. Lehigh continued to add to its lead in the inning as Ryan Cochran's sacrifice fly drove in Rogers for the 3-0 edge.
 
As Bendik bounced back with back-to-back scoreless frames, the Mids broke the shutout in the sixth when Ceccarelli and Victor Izquierdo both singled to start the frame and Ceccarelli was able to race home on a double-play ball to make it 3-1.
 
While Bendik did not allow a hit over his final four innings, including striking out five of his final five batters faced, Navy could not mount a rally despite Tyler Cripe singling to right field and Ceccarelli getting plunked to put two runners on with one out in the eighth, as Nell induced a fielder's choice and a flyout to escape the jam and then retired the Mids in order in the ninth to close out Lehigh's first league win.
 
After Sam Fairhurst struck out seven in five innings while limiting Navy to just the one run on four hits for the win, Nell relieved him with the 12-out save, allowing just one hit and racking up five strikeouts.
 
For Bendik, the hard-luck loss came after surrendering the three runs on six hits despite posting the 10 strikeouts and allowing just two walks, while Jackson Clark pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning.
 
Game Notes
• Navy moved to 105-58 in the all-time series with Lehigh.
• Bendik becomes the second Navy pitcher this season to record 10-or-more strikeouts in a game, joining Matt Archibald's 13-strikeout outing on Feb. 28 against St. Bonaventure.
• Patrick Walsh's fifth-inning walk extended his on-base streak to eight games.
 
Up Next
Navy and Lehigh continue the series at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.