WORCESTER, Mass. — The Holy Cross baseball team couldn't contain Navy, falling in both ends of a Patriot League doubleheader on Sunday, April 2.
GAME ONE
Navy 7, Holy Cross 5 (nine innings)
STATS LEADERS:
Holy Cross (7-20, 1-5 PL):
Cooney (2-for-4, two RBI)
Scanlon (home run)
Walters (4.2 IP, no earned runs, two hits)
Navy (14-13, 7-3 PL):
Mitchell (W, 8.0 IP, one earned run, three strikeouts)
A. Smith (2-for-4, double, RBI, two runs scored)
Keller (double, two RBI)
Rausch (double, two RBI)
THE DECISION:
W: Mitchell (5-1)
L: Talbot (1-1)
S: Kruer (6)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- A sac fly scored an unearned run in the top of the first for Navy.
- The Crusaders immediately tied things up in the bottom of the first after sophomore pitcher Sean Scanlon hit a solo homer.
- In the second inning, freshman catcher Lucas Manning hit a one-out single and freshman second baseman CJ Egrie reached on an error. Sophomore shortstop Brendan Jones drew a walk to load up the bases, and sophomore left fielder Connor Cooney had a two-run single that put Holy Cross up, 3-1.
- The Midshipmen used a three-run third inning to jump ahead, with Kyle Rausch hitting a two-run double that made it a 4-3 game. Navy tacked on another run in the sixth to go ahead 5-3.
- Freshman center fielder Jack Toomey scored in the bottom of the sixth after back-to-back errors, and a sac fly by Manning tied up the score at 5-5.
- The score remained deadlocked at five runs apiece, and the game, scheduled for only seven innings, went into extras.
- Back-to-back RBI doubles in the top of the ninth gave the Midshipmen a 7-5 lead, and Navy closer Landon Kruer threw a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to secure the win for the Midshipmen.
GAME TWO
Navy 5, Holy Cross 2
STATS LEADERS
Holy Cross:
Toomey (2-for-4, double, home run)
Egrie (2-for-4)
Jones (2-for-3)
Needham (2.0 IP, no runs, two hits, three strikeouts)
Navy:
A Smith (2-for-4, double, two RBI, run scored)
Diaz (3-for-3, double, RBI)
Golden (W, 5.0 IP, one run, six hits, four strikeouts)
THE DECISION:
W: Golden (2-2)
L: Macchiarola (0-4)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Navy again took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first after an RBI double by catcher Alex Smith.
- Toomey's RBI double in the bottom of the first knotted the score at 1-1.
- The Midshipmen lead grew to 5-1 by the end of the fourth inning.
- The Crusaders began a comeback attempt in the bottom of the seventh inning, with Toomey hitting a solo shot to make the score 5-2. Holy Cross loaded up the bases after a one-out double by junior third baseman Jake McElroy, a walk by Manning and an infield single by Egrie. However, Navy drew back-to-back flyouts to end the threat and secure the sweep.
DUE UP:
- Holy Cross hosts Bucknell for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. on Monday, April 3.
FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS
Be sure to follow the Holy Cross baseball team — and all things Crusader Athletics — on social media!
Twitter - @HCrossBaseball | @goholycross
Instagram - @hcrossbaseball | @goholycross
Facebook - Holy Cross Baseball | Holy Cross Athletics
YouTube - GoHolyCross