“We had opportunities to win each of the first three games but made mistakes at key times,” head coach Scott Bradley said.
Errors were a recurring theme on Saturday, and the team allowed five and three unearned runs in the early and late Saturday games, respectively.
The Tigers fell 7-2 in the first game with four hits to Navy’s nine. Sophomore right-hander Matt Bowman took the mound for Princeton and gave up two first-inning runs but was victimized by the defense as Navy tacked on two additional unearned runs in the third to take a four-run lead.
Princeton’s bats finally came to life in the top of the fourth when Bowman singled and was then driven in by a triple to left by junior catcher Sam Mulroy. Freshman rightfielder Jonathan York’s sacrifice fly drove in Mulroy to narrow the gap to two.
Navy answered with an earned run in the fourth and two unearned runs in the fifth. The Tigers failed to generate any offensive momentum in the sixth or seventh innings, finishing the game with a score of 7-2.
The Tigers jumped to an early 4-1 lead in Saturday’s second game thanks to a couple of critical Navy errors, including a wild pitch. The Tigers’ chances improved further after they held the Midshipmen to one run in the fourth and scored three runs in the fifth to take a seemingly secure 7-2 lead.
Without warning, Navy rallied in the bottom of the eighth. Senior pitchers Matt Welsh, Matt Grabowski and David Palms fought their way through the inning, but six runs of damage put the score at 8-7 in favor of the Midshipmen.
With their backs against the wall, the Tigers could not strike back in the top of the ninth. Two quick fly-outs on nearly empty batters’ counts and a strikeout crushed Princeton’s chances.
The Sunday games had a much different feel. Though the Tigers lost the first game of the day to Navy 4-3, they claimed the final game of the series.
Sunday’s first game was the Tigers’ strongest defensive game of the series. With freshman pitcher Mike Ford holding the mound for the entirety of the game, the Tigers gave up 10 hits but committed no errors.
With the score tied 1-1, sophomore Steve Harrington delivered a two-RBI single with the bases loaded to give Princeton the lead. Navy answered, matching Princeton’s three hits and two runs.
The Tigers went hitless for the rest of the game, and Navy’s run on two hits and a sacrifice fly proved to be the game winner.
The final game, the second of Sunday’s doubleheader, clipped the Tigers’ six-game losing streak that began March 18 with a loss to Georgetown. The win could not have come at a better time with the Ivy League season on the immediate horizon.
“Our entire season is based on how we play in league games,” said Bradley. “All the teams know each other very well, and games throughout the league are usually close.”
Princeton’s first rally of the game came in the second inning. Sophomore Nate Baird and Harrington both reached on errors, and freshman infielder Ryan Albert and sophomore infielder Alex Flink drove them in on singles.
Three hits and five unearned runs later, the Tigers were up 7-0. The lead did not last long, though. Navy scored four in the third, three more in the fourth and took its first lead of the game in the fifth on a sacrifice fly.
Despite losing his momentum, freshman pitcher A.J. Goetz remained composed and held Navy scoreless for the rest of the game.
“Goetz showed a lot of poise out there for a freshman,” sophomore outfielder Johnny Mishu said. “Even when faced with adversity, he came up with big pitches and ate up the middle innings for us.”
Princeton added three runs in the sixth to take back the lead and then added one each in both the seventh and eighth to clinch the victory 12-8.
The team was glad to get a victory in the last game of the series and is excited to begin league play next weekend.
“I think we’re almost where we need to be,” Mishu said. “We finally put it all together in that last game, which really boosts our confidence.”
The team will also have an added advantage this weekend as it plays its first home game of the season.
“We are very excited to finally get to play a home game,” said Bradley. “We have not even had a chance to practice on our field yet.”
The Tigers will next face Seton Hall on Wednesday in South Orange, N.J. at 5:30 PM.
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