Navy Baseball Scores 17 Runs to Sweep Sunday Doubleheader

Recap, photo courtesy of Navy

Navy beats Central Connecticut State and Massachusetts

ANNAPOLIS, Md. March 3rd, 2019– The Navy baseball team (4-6) picked up two wins on Sunday and scored 17 runs through rain, sleet and snow after beating Central Connecticut State (0-3), 5-2, and Massachusetts (3-1), 12-4, in five and a half innings on Sunday at Max Bishop Stadium.

The Midshipmen compiled 17 hits to score their 17 runs with Zach Stevens (Fr., Lexington, Mass.) pacing the offense with five hits in his 5-for-6 day at the plate with three RBIs and three runs scored. Liam Lowery (Sr., Williamsburg, Va.) belted his first home run of the season to finish with a pair of hits and a pair of runs batted in. The second game of the doubleheader was called following the top half of the sixth inning following continuous rain and snow.
  Navy 5, Central Connecticut State 2

Both starting pitchers controlled the game to start with three scoreless innings and Central Connecticut State recording a hit in each of the first three innings and Navy's lone hit in that span came from Stevens in the second inning.

The Midshipmen's offense came alive in the bottom of the fourth inning with two runs on four hits and two errors. Back-to-back singles sandwiched by a throwing error placed runners on first and third base. Evan Lowery (Jr., Williamsburg, Va.) broke the stalemate with a sacrifice fly to left field scoring Jacob Williamson (Jr, Sims, N.C.). Two batters later, Liam Lowery singled out to left to score Christian Hodge (Sr., Winder, Ga.) after the left fielder misplayed the groundball and Navy took a 2-0 lead.

The Blue Devils answered right back in the fifth inning with a run on one error and no hits. With two outs and two runners on base, a wild pitch from Jared Leins (So., Raleigh, N.C.) allowed Central Connecticut State to get on the board.

In the sixth inning, the Blue Devils tied the game at two following a run-scoring double from Dave Matthews.

During the home half of the sixth inning, Navy answered right back with three runs on three hits. After reaching on an error to start in the inning, Williamson scored the game-winning run following an RBI double from Hodge. Stevens delivered a pair of insurance runs with a single out to centerfield scoring two runs to push the Midshipmen ahead, 5-2.
  Trey Braithwaite (So., Winchester, Va.) closed the game strong allowing the Blue Devils to record just one hit over the final three innings. Braithwaite (1-0) finished the game throwing 3-2/3 innings in the victory allowing just three hits and no runs while striking out five.

Leins tossed 5-1/3 innings in the start allowing two runs – one earned – on four hits. The sophomore notched five strikeouts in the game.

Brandon Fox (0-1) suffered the loss for Central Connecticut State after throwing five innings in his start surrendering five runs – two earned – on eight hits.

"In the first game today we had a couple of timely hits, which is what has eluded us, and we played a pretty good ballgame," head coach Paul Kostacopoulos said after the doubleheader. "We had a nice start from Jared Leins and a nice finish from Trey Braithwaite in the first game."
  Navy 12, Massachusetts 4 (5-1/2 innings)

Battling Mother Nature throughout the shortened contest, the Midshipmen had its best offensive output of the year with 12 runs against the Minutemen.

UMass got on the board first with a two-out run in the in the first inning, but Wilson Ayers (Fr., Ashburn, Va.) and the Navy defense limited the damage and left the bases loaded. The Midshipmen got the run right back in the bottom of the inning with a sacrifice from Hodge – who drove in Zach Biggers (So., Walhalla, S.C.) after starting the inning with a single and Navy's lone hit of the inning.

The Midshipmen tallied all 12 of their runs in the first four innings of the contest. In the fourth inning, Navy scored four times on two hits and was assisted by two errors. All four runs came in on the same play with one out in the inning. With the bases loaded, Biggers shot a single out to right field and after the ball was misplayed by the UMass defender and skipped to the corner, Biggers had cleared the bases and ended up at third base. On the throw back to the infield, an errant throw allowed Biggers to come into score and extend the Midshipmen's lead to 5-1.

Massachusetts got a run back in the third inning off of a wild pitch to make it a three-run contest.

Navy's offense stayed hot in the bottom of the third inning with five more runs on three hits. During the inning, the Midshipmen sent 10 batters to the plate. Stevens recorded his first of two triples in the game to score one run for Navy, while fellow freshman sent a double out to right field, putting Navy ahead, 7-2. The Midshipmen tallied another run off a wild pitch and Williamson drove in a pair of runs with a single to centerfield.

Both teams scored twice in the fourth inning. After UMass pulled within six runs, Liam Lowery belted a two-run home run just over the wall in left field to push Navy ahead, 12-4.

With precipitation falling throughout the first four innings, following a scoreless fifth inning and top half of the sixth inning the game was called due to the weather conditions. With the game being official, Navy earned the 12-4 victory to finish the weekend and complete the doubleheader sweep.

Ayers threw the first three innings in the start and allowed two hits, two runs and three walks. Jackson Zoch (Sr., San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) came out of the bullpen to throw two innings and giving up two runs. Jack Ferguson (So., Atlanta, Ga.) picked up the win after a scoreless sixth inning to end the afternoon.

"The second game was really hard to evaluate with playing in such strange conditions with snow, sleet and rain. The big plus today for us was our offense and we swung the bat better today."