TOWSON, Md. – Towson scored three run in the bottom of the eighth inning to take the lead, but it was Navy that rallied with two runs in the ninth to escape with a 6-5 victory in the 2016 home opener Thursday afternoon at Schuerholz Park.
How it Happened- The Tigers (3-13) got on the board in the first inning on a Brady Policelli no-doubt solo shot to left field.
- Navy (12-4-1) got a double and a fielding error in the second inning to set up a three-run homer off the bat of Nick Paglialonga.
- The Midshipmen played small ball to manufacture a run in the third as a leadoff single was sacrificed to second before scoring on a Matthew Wilcox RBI single to left.
- Towson got a run back in the sixth inning as Chris Henze and A.J. Gallo delivered back-to-back one-out singles. After a failed pickoff attempt advanced both runners, Colin Dyer delivered a sacrifice fly to right field.
- Towson put together a three-run rally in eighth to take a 5-4 lead. With one out, Gallo had an infield single and Dyer was hit by a pitch. Freshman Clark Clatchey plated a run with a single to left center and Jay Sanford gave Towson the lead with the two-run double off the base of the fence in right center.
- The two RBIs were the first in the career for Sanford.
- Navy came right back in the ninth with a pair of runs on a Stephen Born two-run double to left field.
- Dean Stramara was very effective out of the bullpen as he gave up just one run on two hits and four strikeouts over 4.2 innings.
- Garrett Walther (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing one run on two hits in one inning of work.
- Sam Sorenson (2-0) closed out the game for Navy, giving up two hits over 1.1 innings.
- Henze led Towson with three hits, while Richie Palacios, Policelli, Gallo and Sanford each collected two.
On DeckThe Tigers return to action Saturday afternoon as they take on Rhode Island. The weather-altered doubleheader is set to get underway at 12 p.m. The teams will play the final game of the series Monday at 3:30 p.m.