ANNAPOLIS, Md.  – Army West Point and Navy both advanced to next weekend’s Patriot League Baseball Championship Series capturing victories in game three of their respective best two-of-three game series on Sunday afternoon.  
 
No. 1 Navy (38-14, 18-7 PL) downed No. 4 Holy Cross (18-27, 11-14 PL), 4-1 at Max Bishop Stadium, while No. 2 Army West Point (33-22, 18-7 PL) held on for a 4-3 victory over No. 3 Bucknell (17-27, 13-11-1 PL) in a rain-soaked decisive game at Johnson Stadium.
 
The Midshipmen and Black Knights will begin their best two-of-three game Patriot League Championship Series at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium in Annapolis, Md. on Friday, May 18 at 1 p.m. All three games will be streamed live on Patriot League Network (PLN).
 
2018 PATRIOT LEAGUE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP - SEMIFINAL ROUND
At No. 1 NAVY MIDSHIPMEN (38-14, 18-7 PL) 4, No. 4 HOLY CROSS CRUSADERS (18-27, 11-14 PL) 1
Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium/Annapolis, Md.        PLN                       
GAME THREE – BOX SCORE
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Junior starting RHP Andrew Sauer tossed 9.0 innings, allowing just one run on five hits, while striking out nine and walking none to lead Navy to a 4-1 victory over Holy Cross in game three of the Patriot League Championship Semifinals. The Mids advance to host next weekend’s championship series with Army West Point.
*With the victory the Midshipmen are now 5-0 in Patriot League semifinal game three’s.  
*Sophomore third baseman Jacob Williamson led the Mids offense, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
*The Mids took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when sophomore leftfielder Evan Lowery scored on sophomore catcher Alex Smith’s one-out ground out to the shortstop.
*Navy extended its lead to three runs in the bottom of the third inning when Williamson singled to left field, driving in junior first baseman Christian Hodge and sophomore second baseman Zach Biggers.
*Holy Cross got on the board in the top of the sixth inning when sophomore centerfielder Austin Masel singled to drive in sophomore shortstop Chris Rinaldi, making the score 3-1.
*Lowery scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning to extend the lead to 4-1.
*Crusaders’ freshman RHP Thomas Dvorak took the loss, allowing three runs on seven hits over 4.2 innings.
*Masel went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Rinaldi went 2-for-4 with a run scored to lead the offense.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT THE HOLY CROSS BASEBALL RECAP
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT THE NAVY BASEBALL RECAP
 
At No. 2 ARMY WEST POINT BLACK KNIGHTS (33-22, 18-7 PL) 4, No. 3 BUCKNELL BISON (17-27, 13-11 PL) 3
Johnson Stadium at Doubleday Field/West Point, N.Y.                                              PLN
GAME THREE – BOX SCORE
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Army West Point’s three-run seventh inning proved to be the difference, as the Black Knights defeated Bucknell, 4-3 in game three of its semifinal series to advance to next weekend’s Patriot League Championship Series at Navy.
*With the game tied at one run apiece, Army West Point scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, as senior catcher Jon Rosoff’s sacrifice fly scored sophomore leftfielder Anfernee Crompton. Junior second baseman Josh White tripled to score sophomore centerfielder Jacob Hurtubise, before scoring on a passed ball to take a 4-1 lead.
*Junior LHP Cam Opp was able to retire the Bison in order to earn his second save of the season.
*Army senior RHP Matt Ball earned the victory, tossing 7.0 innings, while allowing three runs, two earned on seven hits. He struck out nine and walked none to move to 7-2 on the season.
*The Bison scored the game’s first run, as sophomore leftfielder JohnPaul Bell singled to centerfield to drive in freshman rightfielder Dom Toso, taking a 1-0 lead.
*Black Knights’ sophomore first baseman John McKenna drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the fourth inning, allowing freshman third baseman Anthony Giachin to score, tying the game at one apiece.
*After falling behind, 4-1 in the seventh inning, Bucknell senior second baseman Luke Johnson plated a run for Bucknell in the top of the eighth with a sacrifice fly. An error allowed senior centerfielder Chuckie Scales to score, bringing the Bison within one run at 4-3, but it would not be enough.
*Sophomore RHP Jack Simpson allowed two runs on three hits over 2.1 innings of relief to take the loss.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT THE BUCKNELL BASEBALL RECAP
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT THE ARMY WEST POINT BASEBALL RECAP
 
 
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its third decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.