Navy Drops Pair to Central Connecticut State, 9-1 and 5-2

Midshipmen fall at home for the first time in 2007 on Saturday

	B.J. Bickel went 2-for-3 in the nightcap on Saturday

March 3, 2007

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Navy's offense could muster only three runs on nine hits on Saturday afternoon as the Midshipmen were swept in a baseball doubleheader by Central Connecticut State at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium. Navy dropped the opener, 9-1, before falling in the nightcap, 5-2.

The Midshipmen, who have scored five runs over the last-four games, dropped to 9-4 on the year. The Blue Devils opened their 2007 season with a 2-0 mark.

"I have to tip my hat to a very good team in Central Connecticut State," stated Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos. "They are very experienced with several juniors and seniors, and had two very good pitchers. You truly have credit where credit is due today. They controlled both games and out-played us."

Kostacopoulos added, "We didn't give ourselves a lot of opportunities to score and we really need to work at that. This definitely stands out early in this young season."

In the opener, junior right-handed pitcher Mitch Harris (Mt. Holly, N.C.) was tagged for his first loss of the season. He allowed five runs on eight hits over six innings with only one walk and matched his season-high strikeout total with nine. He fell to 3-1 on the year.

Harris was able to work his way out of a bases loaded, nobody out jam in the second without yielding a run, as he struck out the first batter and induced an inning-ending double play.

There was no score until the fourth inning, when the Blue Devils put up four runs, capped by a Dave Lorber two-run double off the fence in left-center.

Navy would answer back with a run in the fifth, as junior Bill Maugeri (Edgewater, Md.) singled up the middle to score freshman Steven Soares (Coral Springs, Fla.) and pull the Mids within three at 4-1. However, that is as close as Navy would get, as Central Connecticut State tacked on insurance runs in the sixth and seventh to close out the game.

Ken Kerski got the win for the visitors in the opener, as he scattered four hits and three walks with four strikeouts in a complete-game effort.

Navy dug itself a 5-0 hole after four innings in the nightcap before making a late rally attempt.

The Midshipmen cut into the deficit with a pair of runs in the sixth inning to make the score 5-2. Senior B.J. Bickel (Benson, N.C.) singled and came home to score on a Harris sacrifice fly. One batter later, sophomore Joshua Martinez (Denver, Colo.) laced a RBI-single up the middle to score junior Renaldo Hollins (Virginia Beach, Va.), who reached on an error during a sacrifice bunt. Following a hit by pitch to load the bases, Central Connecticut State starter Evan Scribner was able to get out of any further damage with a groundout.

Navy sophomore starter Matt White (Yorba Linda, Calif.) was credited with the loss in game two, as he gave up seven hits and five runs, four of which were earned, in 3.2 innings. The Midshipmen bullpen of Kevin Heasley (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Yale Eckert (La Selva Beach, Calif.) kept the opposition in check while giving Navy an opportunity a chance for a comeback. The two pitchers combined for 3.1 innings of two-hit, shutout relief with one walk and three strikeouts.

"I thought the bullpen did a great job in the second game," said Kostacopoulos. "Kevin did a solid job in his first game of the year and we really liked what Yale did as a freshman making his first appearance of his career. They kept us in the game when we had a chance in the sixth and held a very good offensive team at bay."

Bickel was the lone Navy hitter to record a multi-hit performance on Saturday, going 2-for-3 at the plate in the nightcap.

Scribner earned the win for the Blue Devils, as he allowed only two unearned runs on five hits with no walks and seven strikeouts in working a complete game. Scribner needed only 80 pitches to get through the Navy lineup on Saturday.

The Midshipmen and the Blue Devils will close out the three-game series tomorrow with a 12 noon first pitch at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium. Live stats will be available via GameTracker on www.navysports.com(.)