ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Senior left-handed pitcher Luke Dawson's complete-game shutout and a strong offensive effort lifted the Holy Cross baseball team to a Game 2 victory and a doubleheader split with Navy on Sunday, April 25.

After their comeback attempt in a high-scoring Game 1 fell short, the Crusaders (8-12, 7-9 Patriot League) overcame a quiet start offensively in Game 2 to put up a four-run fifth-inning. Propelled by Dawson – who did not allow a single hit between the second and eighth innings – Holy Cross rolled to an 8-0 victory over the Midshipmen (13-9, 8-9 Patriot League) to split the four-game weekend series.

Senior shortstop Cam Meyer continued his recent hot streak, hitting 4-for-7 with a double, triple and four RBI during Sunday's two games. Freshman third baseman Thomas Latham came up with four hits and a trio of RBI, along with several big defensive plays; freshman second baseman Sam Kirkpatrick had four RBI on the day.

GAME ONE:
Navy 13, Holy Cross 10 (seven innings)

STATS LEADERS:
Holy Cross:

• Selima (2-for-4, double, two runs, three RBI)
• Meyer (2-for-2, triple, two RBI)
• Latham (2-for-4, two RBI)
• Talbot (2.0 IP, no hits, two strikeouts)

Navy:

• Stevens (3-for-4, double, triple, five RBI)
• A. Smith (3-for-4, double, triple, three RBI)
• Policelli (2-for-4, double, two RBI)

W: Early (1-1)
L: Dvorak (0-3)
S: Braithwaite (3)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After Navy jumped out to a one-run advantage in the first inning, the Crusaders took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second. Senior first baseman Andrew Selima had an RBI single to right, and later scored after junior designated hitter Nate Wolf hit a single down the left-field line.
• The Midshipmen posted an eight-run bottom of the second, and added two more runs in the bottom of the third to take an 11-2 lead.
• Sophomore right-hander Ben Talbot retired six straight Navy batters in the fourth and fifth.
• Latham walked to lead off the fifth inning, and junior catcher Angelo D'Acunto had a two-out single to put a pair of runners on. Meyer followed with a triple to the right-center wall, bringing the Crusaders within 11-4.
• Sophomore center fielder Ben Dellacono and Kirkpatrick walked to lead off the top of the sixth, and each advanced after Wolf reached on a Navy error. Latham followed with a two-run single through the right side to help Holy Cross cut the lead to 11-6.
• A two-run triple in the bottom of the sixth extended Navy's lead to 13-6.
• After D'Acunto walked and Meyer singled, Selima had a double to score a pair of runs. Selima later scored after Navy's left fielder dropped a fly ball, and Dellacono – who reached on the error – scored after Kirkpatrick drove him in with a single up the middle. The four runs brought Holy Cross within 13-10, but after a pitching change, the Crusaders could not add on any more runs.

GAME TWO:
Holy Cross 8, Navy 0

STATS LEADERS:
Holy Cross:

• Dawson (W, 9.0 IP, no runs, three hits, seven strikeouts)
• Kirkpatrick (2-for-4, three RBI)
• Meyer (2-for-5, double, two RBI)
• Latham (2-for-4, two runs, RBI)

Navy:

• Leins (4.0 IP, no hits, no runs, four strikeouts)
• Policelli (1-for-3)
• Rausch (1-for-4)

W: Dawson (1-2)
L: Yu (0-1)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Holy Cross worked around a pair of one-out singles in the bottom of the first inning, with Kirkpatrick fielding a ball that took a high hop, stepping on second base and throwing to Selima at first to turn the double play. Those marked the only base hits allowed by Dawson – who also did not allow an extra-base hit in the contest – until the ninth inning.
• Meanwhile, Navy starter Jared Leins kept the Crusaders hitless through the first four innings, surrendering only a leadoff walk in the first inning to Latham.
• After Wolf drew a one-out walk in the fifth, Kirkpatrick had a two-out single through the right side – Holy Cross' first hit of the game – to bring Wolf home. After freshman right fielder Jake McElroy walked, Latham had a single to right to score Kirkpatrick; Latham then stole second to put runners on second on third, and Meyer had a two-out single up the middle to extend the Holy Cross lead to 4-0.
• Two more runs came across for the Crusaders in the sixth. After back-to-back walks were issued to D'Acunto and Selima, Wolf moved the runners up with a sacrifice bunt, and Kirkpatrick hit a single up the middle that allowed D'Acunto and Selima to score.
• Latham led off the seventh with a single, and made it to third after a fielding error and hit batter; he would come around to score on a double play, giving Holy Cross a 7-0 advantage.
• Dawson did not record a strikeout in the game until the sixth, but struck out five of six Navy batters between the sixth and seventh innings.
• Holy Cross added on another run in the top of the ninth after Meyer doubled down the right-field line and senior left fielder Evan Blum drove him in.
• A two-out single and walk put runners on first and second in the bottom of the ninth for Navy, but a fielder's choice ended the inning and secured the complete-game shutout for Dawson.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• Dawson joins sophomore right-hander Jack DiLauro as the second Crusader to record a complete-game shutout this season; Dawson is the first Holy Cross pitcher to throw nine full innings in a game since Pat McGowan went nine innings against Navy on May 12, 2018. The last Holy Cross pitcher with a nine-inning, complete-game shutout was Bobby Holmes in an 8-0 victory over Bucknell on April 12, 2008.
• Meyer has recorded multiple RBI in four consecutive games; he has also recorded at least one extra-base hit in each of the last five games.

DUE UP:

• Holy Cross has added a midweek, non-conference matchup at Boston College on Tuesday, April 27.
• First pitch in Brighton is set for 5:30 p.m.