Navy scores 10 runs in bottom of 8th to rally past Bucknell
After not playing a game since Feb. 27, the Navy baseball team finally got a chance to take the field this past weekend against Patriot League opponent Bucknell.
The Midshipmen performed pretty well in the three-game series despite not practicing for three weeks while the Naval Academy was under a restriction of movement order. They capped the weekend with a comeback that was well worth the one-month wait.
In an inspirational and enthusiastic turn of events, host Navy scored 10 runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to rally for a 15-10 victory over Bucknell on Sunday afternoon on Terwilliger Brothers Field. It was the first conference action for the Mids (6-1, 2-1), who took two of three from the Bison.
Trailing 9-5 going into the final frame, Navy sent 15 batters to the plate to score more runs than it did during both games of Saturday’s doubleheader (a 7-1 win and 11-1 loss). Few of the socially distanced, tightly masked fans at Max Bishop Stadium will likely forget what transpired.
“Nothing you can say can describe it because you just have to believe you can do it. It doesn’t often happen,” Navy coach Paul Kostacopoulos said. “There’s a saying that there is no clock in baseball. You have to record all the outs. It was a combination of good play and luck. You just have to keep going.”
With one out in the eighth, freshman left fielder Zane Raba singled, pinch-hitter Kiel Brenczewski blooped a double and senior center fielder Joe Simourian was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Freshman third baseman beat out an infield hit along the third base side to drive in Raba, while a walk to catcher sophomore Alex Smith scored pinch-runner Cole Reibenspies.
Junior first baseman Zach Stevens drove in Smith on a force play at second and designated hitter Christian Policelli was hit by a pitch to load the bases once again.
Senior right fielder Ryan Duffey delivered the biggest hit of the game when he belted a double that plated all three baserunners and gave Navy an 11-9 lead. Shortstop Nico Valdez
doubled to score Duffey, and Raba followed with an RBI single to make it 13-9.
After Reibenspies and Simourian drew walks, Keller capped the uprising with a two-run single that put the home team ahead by six runs.
The dramatic comeback saved the day for ace reliever Trey Braithwaite, who uncharacteristically gave up a home run for the first time in his career. Two, in fact, as the Bison built a four-run lead on round-trippers by Henry Novicki in the fifth and Chris Cannizzaro in the sixth to break a 5-5 tie.
Coming into the game, Braithwaite had not allowed a run this season. The fifth-inning blast was the first home run hit off Brathwaite in 50 innings over 27 games. In what was his worst outing ever, the senior right-hander allowed four runs on three hits over 2 ⅔ innings.
Dalton Baker (2-0), who relieved Braithwaite, went three innings to earn the win. He allowed just one run and two hits, while fanning three batters.
“Trey didn’t have a good game tonight, but they preach carrying the flag for your teammate,” Baker said. “That is what I was trying to do – come in and pick it up, pitch by pitch, batter by batter.”
Kostacopoulos said the long layoff undoubtedly affected the pitching staff and acknowledged “we’re having trouble with our starters right now.” However, the veteran coach praised Baker for shutting down Bucknell. He was particularly impressed the junior right-hander pitched so well in the top of the ninth inning while sitting on the bench for 45 minutes during the rally.
“He did a great job. He held them in check and gave us a chance. The way things were going, we would not have had a chance had he not stopped them the way he did,” Kostacopoulos said.
Raba had four hits, scored three times and drove in two runs to lead a 17-hit attack for Navy. Keller had three hits and four RBIs, while Duffey finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs.
“It was funny. From the sixth batter, Duffey, on down, our lineup picked us up and did the job,” Kostacopoulos said.
Duffey said he was looking for a “little payback” after listening to the Bucknell bench talk trash.
“I was a little upset at Bucknell. They were getting a little chirpy. I wanted to show them that you don’t mess with Navy,” he said.
Navy baseball was riding a 14-game winning streak last spring when the season was suddenly shut down in mid-March by the coronavirus pandemic. The Midshipmen were about to begin Patriot League play at Bucknell when the Patriot League canceled all spring sports.
“Most of all, it was good to get out there and play,” Baker said. “The opportunity to get a second chance after not playing for a month… it looked like we might have déjà vu like last season. As a senior, to get a chance to even play seven weeks is something not to be taken for granted.”
Sherwin homered for the second straight day and drove in three runs to lead Bucknell.