CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – No. 1 Navy (37-15, 18-7 PL) leads its series with No. 4 Lafayette (19-32, 12-13 PL), 1-0, while No. 2 Holy Cross (22-31, 15-10 PL) and No. 3 Army West Point (31-23, 15-10 PL) split a doubleheader on the first day of the best two-of-three Patriot League Baseball Championship semifinal round.
 
First pitch of game two between the Midshipmen and Leopards at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday, with game three, if necessary, beginning at approximately 4 p.m.
 
The Crusaders and Black Knights will play the deciding game three of its series at Fitton Field at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
 
Sunday’s Patriot League baseball semifinal games will be streamed live on the Patriot League Network (PLN). For more information on the 2019 Patriot League Baseball Championships CLICK HERE.
 
2019 PATRIOT LEAGUE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS – SEMIFINAL ROUND
NO. 4 LAFAYETTE LEOPARDS (19-32, 12-13 PL) AT NO. 1 NAVY MIDSHIPMEN (37-15, 18-7 PL)
Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium/Annapolis, Md.
GAME 1: NAVY 3, LAFAYETTE 0 | BOX SCORE
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Navy senior right-handed pitcher Noah Song, the Patriot League Pitcher of the Year, pitched 8.0 shutout innings, scattering four hits while striking out nine batters in the Mids’ 3-0 game-one win over Lafayette.
*Song earned his 11th victory of the season and sophomore reliever Trey Braithwaite struck out two in a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his 10th save of the season to help Navy claim its 2,000th victory in program history.
*Navy junior shortstop broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth inning with a sacrifice bunt that scored junior second baseman Zach Biggers.
*Senior designated hitter Liam Lowery followed with a two-run single to center field to put the Mids in front 3-0.
*Lafayette sophomore left-handed pitcher JP Woodward pitched 6.1 innings allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits while striking out two and walking three in the loss. Senior right-handed pitcher David Giusti pitched 1.2 scoreless innings of relief.
*Senior first baseman Richard Villa went 2-for-4 to lead the Leopards’ offense.
RECAPS: NAVY | LAFAYETTE
 
NO. 3 ARMY WEST POINT BLACK KNIGHTS (31-23, 15-10 PL) AT NO. 2 HOLY CROSS CRUSADERS (22-31, 15-10 PL)
Fitton Field/Worcester, Mass.
GAME 1: ARMY WEST POINT 5, HOLY CROSS 1 | BOX SCORE
WORCESTER, Mass. – Army West Point senior left-handed pitcher Tyler Giovinco pitched 7.0 innings, allowing one run on eight hits while striking out seven to capture his eighth win of the season in a 5-1 victory over Holy Cross in game one of the Patriot League semifinals.
*Sophomore left fielder Andre Walden went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and sophomore second baseman Tim Simoes drove in two runs on a single in the ninth inning for the Black Knights.
*Holy Cross senior second baseman Alex Gionis, junior third baseman Alex Volpi and freshman right fielder Ben Malgeri each had two hits for the Crusaders.
*Army West Point got on the board first when sophomore Blake Ledoux crossed the plate when sophomore third baseman Anthony Giachin reached base on a fielder’s choice.
*Walden plated two with a double to center field in the top of the fifth inning to put the Black Knights in front, 3-0.  
*Holy Cross answered in the bottom of the fifth inning when junior shortstop Chris Rinaldi drove in Volpi on a sacrifice fly.
*Simoes sealed the Black Knights’ victory with a two-run single through the middle of the infield.
*Senior right-handed pitcher Pat McGowan took the loss, allowing three runs on eight hits over 7.0 innings.

GAME 2: HOLY CROSS 6, ARMY WEST POINT 4 | BOX SCORE
WORCESTER, Mass. – Junior center fielder Austin Masel and Rinaldi drove in two runs apiece and senior right-handed pitcher Declan Cronin pitched 5.0 strong innings to lead Holy Cross to a 6-4 victory over Army West Point in game two.
*Cronin allowed two runs, one earned, through 5.0 innings while striking out six innings to claim his sixth win of the season.
*Masel and Rinaldi both went 2-for-5 with two RBIs, Masel also scored two runs. 
*Army scored in the bottom of the first inning when junior center fielder scored on Giachin’s ground out.
*The Crusaders responded with four runs in the top of the fourth inning when junior catcher Riley Livingston and Masel had consecutive RBI singles before Rinaldi drove in two runs with a double.
*In the top of the sixth inning Masel drove in a run with a triple to center field, then scored on a wild pitch to give the Crusaders a 6-1 lead.
*Junior first baseman John McKenna drove in a run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth inning, and senior shortstop Trey Martin doubled to drive in a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to bring the Black Knights within two runs, at 6-4.
*Sophomore right-handed pitcher Liam Dvorak pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn the save after freshman C.J. McKennitt tossed a scoreless eighth inning for the Crusaders.
RECAPS: HOLY CROSS | ARMY WEST POINT
 
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.