Navy Takes Two From Army on Saturday

WEST POINT – The Army West Point baseball team fell in both games of a doubleheader to rival Navy here Saturday.

The Mids recorded a 2-1 seven-inning, come-from-behind win in Game 1, before registering an 8-0 victory in the nightcap.

With the day’s outcome, the Mids earned the Army-Navy baseball “Star” series win. And after dropping two games to Army back on March 25 at Camden Yards, the Mids rallied back this weekend to earn three-straight wins to claim the season series, 3-2.

Navy received impressive pitching from its starters Andrew Sauer and Sean Kamhoot on Saturday. Combined, they held a strong offensive team in the Black Knights to just five hits throughout the course of the day.

Army’s Daniel Burggraaf was in line for the win in the opener, but saw the Mids rally in the top of the seventh to steal the one-run victory. He finished his day giving up six hits and two runs in 6.2 innings on the mound.

The Black Knights broke a scoreless deadlock in the fourth after Anthony Giachin singled to center field to lead things off. Josh White then placed runners on the corners after he followed that up singling to right field. During the ensuing at bat, Giachin scored thanks to a passed ball.

Army held that slim 1-0 advantage until the Mids strung together a two-out rally. After seeing it’s first two batters retired down in order, Navy posted three-straight hits to bring home two runs, including the go-ahead score.

The Black Knights tried to rally and even got the tying run on base with two outs during the bottom half of the seventh, but a questionable strikeout call ended any hopes of prolonging the game.

In Game 2, the Mids broke the 0-0 tie with four big runs in the third inning, including a two-out, two-run home run to left field.

Army was held without a hit in the game until the sixth inning, when rookie Tim Simoes finally broke things up with a single through the right side. Unfortunately, the Cadets were already in a hole at the time 5-0. The Mids then forced the Black Knights to fly out to end the frame.
A lead-off solo home run in the seventh by the visitors then made it a 6-0 advantage and ultimately put the game out of reach.

Army did try to rally with two outs in the ninth when Jon Rosoff and John McKenna tallied back-to-back hits but that would be all the Mids would allow.

Matt Ball was tabbed with the loss in the nightcap after going 5.2 innings, allowing 11 hits and five runs, two of which were earned.

The Black Knights have two midweek games against Columbia and Marist before hosting Holy Cross for a four-game weekend series.