ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Riding high after its fourth walk-off win over the last six home games, the Navy baseball team (14-6, 1-2 PL) continues its homestand this weekend with the Midshipmen's first home Patriot League series, hosting Bucknell (7-10, 3-0 PL) for a three-game set at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium.
 
The Mids and Bison will get underway with a 1:05 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, before finishing the series with a single game Sunday at 1:05 p.m. as well. Scott Wykoff will be calling all the action on ESPN+ and WNAV Radio (1430 AM). Saturday will have a chips-and-dip bowl giveaway for fans, while Sunday's promotion is 'kids run the bases' post-game.
 
Archibald Earns PL Pitcher of the Week
Leading the Mids to a shutout in their first conference win of 2026, junior right-hander Matt Archibald was named the Patriot League Pitcher of the Week on Monday … Archibald went a career-high eight shutout innings at Lehigh on Saturday, helping Navy post a 3-0 win over the Mountain Hawks by striking out nine and limiting Lehigh to five hits … Archibald picked up his second winning decision in as many starts while twirling his third-straight quality start … On the season, the righty has racked up a 2.79 ERA in five starts with 44 strikeouts across 29 innings … This marks Archibald's second career Patriot League Pitcher-of-the-Week honor … It also marks the third time a Navy hurler has earned PL Pitcher of the Week this season after Brady Bendik claimed the award on Feb. 16 and Owen Phypers earned the accolade on March 2.
 
Back at Bishop
This marks Navy's 104th season playing at the ballpark now known as Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium, with the Mids beginning play at then-Lawrence Field in 1923 … Navy has gone 44-23 at home during head coach Chuck Ristano's three seasons at the helm … The Mids have won 11 and only lost four of the 17 home weekend series during Ristano's tenure.
 
Last Time Out
Handing the Mids their fourth walk-off win in their last six home games, Mason Ceccarelli connected on a walk-off RBI single in the ninth inning to lift Navy to a thrilling 9-8 victory over Maine on Wednesday afternoon … After the Black Bears had stormed back to tie it in the sixth during a back-and-forth contest, Navy found a way to manufacture the winning run in the final frame, as Ceccarelli's game-winning hit capped off a strong day for the Mids' lead-off hitter, who reached base three times and scored a pair of runs before driving in John Loudon to seal Navy victory … Tyler Cripe's two-hit effort extended his hitting streak to seven games and his on-base streak to eight-straight contests … Tyler Bouchard's four stolen bases on Wednesday are tied for second in program single-game history, becoming the first Navy player with four steals in a game since Brock Murtha against UMES on Feb. 25, 2025.
 
2026 Home Cooking
Jake Hooten has posted a .300 batting average in nine home starts, also stealing seven bases in those games … Victor Izquierdo leads the team with 11 RBI at home this season, also drawing eight walks while batting .294 at home … Brady Bendik has tallied a 1.54 ERA over two home starts with 12 strikeouts in 11.2 innings, while Matt Archibald holds a 2.25 ERA in his two home starts in addition to 22 punchouts over 12 frames … Jackson Clark has a 3.00 ERA in five home outings, posting a 3-0 record while striking out eight in six innings.
 
Lifetime in Annapolis
Andrew Manning has mashed at the friendly confines of Max Bishop Stadium during his three seasons, posting a .333 career average in home games while racking up 56 runs scored and 36 RBI in 66 contests … Victor Izquierdo has hit .277 with 59 RBI across 67 home starts in his four seasons with the Mids, notching 17 doubles and three homers … Matt Archibald has posted a 2.70 home ERA over 10 career outings in Annapolis, totaling a 4-3 record with 65 strikeouts in 40 innings while limiting opponents to a .153 average … Spencer Stephens holds a 2.51 home ERA and 6-0 record over 16 appearances at Max Bishop Stadium, punching out 31 in 28.2 innings while picking up three saves.
 
Career Snapshots in the PL
In 16 career Patriot League starts, Brady Bendik has maintained a 3.43 ERA over 89.1 innings, striking out 75 and notching a 7-6 record while recording four complete games … Tyler Grenn has posted a 4.75 ERA across 16 career appearances in league play, totaling 89 innings and 41 strikeouts while making 14 starts with three complete games … Evan Brown has batted .290 in 39 career league games, scoring 19 runs and driving in 18 RBI while walking 13 times … Hitting .291 in 29 league contests his first two seasons, Jack Killelea tallied 15 runs scored and nine RBI while drawing 12 walks … Andrew Manning has a .303 average in 53 career league games, scoring 32 runs and posting 32 RBI with seven homers.
 
Hot League Debuts in 2025
Ty DePerno posted a .329 batting average in his first 25 league games last season, boasting 14 RBI and five extra-base hits … After missing his freshman year due to injury, Matt Archibald made an immediate impact in 2025 league play, posting a 2.45 ERA in five starts while spinning 28 strikeouts in 22 innings … John Carroll posted a 2.16 ERA over five relief outings in league play last season, punching out five in 8.1 innings.
 
Super Sophomore League Years
Brady Bendik had an incredible sophomore year in league play, posting a 2.08 ERA and 4-2 record in seven starts, logging 43.1 innings and three complete games while racking up 38 strikeouts to 10 walks … Evan Brown batted .310 in his second league campaign, while classmate Andrew Manning hit .291 with five homers in PL play … Tyler Bouchard also racked up a .478 average in nine league games last year while battling injury, swiping four bases.
 
2026 Weekend Warriors
This season has seen the Mids go 10-6 with a 3.28 ERA over 16 weekend games … Spencer Stephens has a 1.29 ERA over six weekend appearances, striking out 16 in 14 innings … Victor Izquierdo is batting .375 on Saturdays, scoring eight times in seven games … Patrick Walsh is hitting .357 on Sundays while Tyler Cripe has batted .400 on Sundays so far.
 
News & Notes
Navy has outscored opponents by a 26-1 margin in the second inning this season, also heavily outscoring foes, 22-7, in the fourth inning … Navy has posted a 3.62 team ERA over its last 10 games, striking out 99 batters in those 87 innings … Victor Izquierdo has batted .395 over his last 10 starts, scoring eight runs and driving in seven more … Tyler Cripe is batting .364 over the Mids' last 10 games, homering twice and plating 10 RBI … Ty DePerno has broken out with a .300 average over Navy's last 10 games, reaching base at a .417 clip … Tyler Grenn has posted a 2.00 ERA when coming out of the bullpen this year, logging six strikeouts and a save over nine relief innings.
 
Navy Among NCAA Stat Leaders
Navy's pitching has posted a league-leading 3.63 ERA that sits 30th nationally, while the team's 1.36 WHIP also leads the Patriot League and ranks 57th in the nation … Navy is also 16th in the country and atop the league with 56 stolen bases as a team (17th nationally at 2.80 per game) … The Mids' 0.45 triples per game ranks eighth in the country … Patrick Walsh's four triples are tied for the Division I lead, while Henry Mitchell's nine hit-by-pitches rank 26th in the country … Owen Phypers and Jackson Clark are tied for the 53rd nationally with three victories each, while Phyper's 2.08 ERA is 80th nationally … Brady Bendik's league-leading 1.84 ERA ranks 58th in the country … Matt Archibald's 44 total strikeouts are eighth in the country and his 13.66 strikeouts per nine innings rank 23rd in Division I, with both marks leading the Patriot League.
 
Navy Notables vs. Bucknell
Matt Archibald has a 2.79 ERA in two career starts against the Bison, racking up 14 strikeouts in 9.2 innings while allowing just three hits … Brady Bendik holds a 3.00 career ERA against Bucknell in three starts, totaling 14 punchouts while walking just three in 15 frames … Tyler Bouchard batted .625 in three games against Bucknell last year, accounting for five RBI with three extra-base hits … Ty DePerno hit .333 in five starts against Bucknell last year, also walking four times while driving in five runs and scoring four more … Victor Izquierdo has hit .303 in 10 career games against the Bison, doubling five times.
 
Scouting Bucknell
Sitting at 7-10 overall, the Bison are coming off a three-game sweep over Lafayette to open up the Patriot League slate, as Bucknell won 8-5, 9-8 and 8-0 over the Leopards … Ty Lagoni and Brady Hoar both earned Patriot League weekly honors, as Lagoni was the PL Player of the Week after going 7-for-12 with five RBIs in the series, while Hoar earned the PL Rookie of the Week honor after a quality start in Bucknell's shutout victory … Michael Trommer is slashing .348/.427/.636, as he has four home runs, eight RBI and 15 runs scored … Garrett Mathias is hitting .333 to begin his collegiate career and is tied for second on the team with eight RBIs … Jonathan Adelmann has a 3.00 ERA over 27 innings in five starts in his new role for the Bison, going five-plus innings three times … Bucknell is hitting .242 at the plate and pitchers have posted a 6.97 team ERA, as opponents are hitting .300 against the Bison … Also returning, Ryan Facinelli was named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team and was a Second Team All-Patriot League selection in 2025.
 
Series History
Navy is 100-87-1 in the all-time series with Bucknell, with the series dating back to 1904 … Under head coach Chuck Ristano, Navy is 6-4 against Bucknell … The Mids went 4-1 against the Bison last season, winning three of four during a late March series in Annapolis that saw four Mids homer in the Saturday doubleheader … Evan Brown's grand slam then propelled Navy to the win in the 6-4 season-series finale in Lewisburg on April 16.
 
Up Next
Navy will finish out the homestand on Tuesday against Saint Joseph's.