Box Score Box Score

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Senior Chris Cruz and junior Matt Hall hit back-to-back doubles to lead off the 11^th inning, leading the baseball team to a 4-2 victory over Navy in their series finale Sunday afternoon at Max Bishop Stadium.
 
Hall was 2-for-5 with two runs and the run-scoring double. Senior Ben Swinford was 3-for-3 hitting from the ninth spot in the order, also dropping down a sacrifice bunt and reaching on a hit-by-pitch.
 
Sophomore Michael Byrne earned the victory with six innings of quality relief, surrendering just an unearned run. He had four strikeouts without issuing a walk and scattered four hits. Byrne induced inning-ending double plays in the sixth and 10^th innings – the latter a difficult turn by first baseman Ryan Planter, when he stepped on the bag and threw to second for shortstop Tom D'Alessandro to tag out the lead runner.
 
Cornell (2-1) never trailed, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Hall hit a one-out single to left, then freshman Tommy Wagner – making his first collegiate start – and junior Kevin Tatum worked out walks to load the bases. Swinford followed with a single to right, scoring Hall and advancing the other runners up a base. Junior JD Whetsel then drew another free pass to push home Wagner. The Midshipmen then escaped further Big Red damage when Tom D'Alessandro hard-hit ball was snagged by the shortstop and a strikeout followed to end the threat.
 
Navy (3-6) mustered just three hits – all singles – against Cornell starter Brian McAfee. The junior fanned two while issuing no walks through five innings. The Midshipmen scored just once on McAfee's watch, when a leadoff single eventually led to a run-scoring sacrifice fly.
 
Navy then tied the game with an unearned run to tie the game in the eighth after one of the Big Red's three errors allowed the leadoff runner to reach. A sacrifice bunt and groundout moved the runner to third with two outs, then a single up the middle plated the tying run.
 
After a fairly uneventful 10^th inning, Cruz led off the 11^th with a double to right-center. He came around to score on Hall's double down the left-field line. Wagner followed with a single to left, giving the Big Red runners at the corners with no outs. Tatum then drove home Hall on a fielder's choice.
 
Byrne set down the Midshipmen in order in the bottom half of the inning, including the game-ender on a strikeout looking.
 
The Big Red is back in action next weekend with a four-game set at George Washington. The series will feature doubleheaders at noon both Saturday and Sunday.