<p>PREVIEWING THE ACTION AHEAD
After producing its second-straight 3-1 weekend to move into a tie for first in the Patriot League standings, the Navy baseball team will host Army in a critical four-game set in Annapolis this weekend. The Midshipmen and the Black Knights will also battle for the coveted Star, which is awarded to the team that wins the four-game series. If the series is tied at two games apiece, the Star will be credited to the team that won the first game of the set.
The Midshipmen will play two non-league games for the third-straight week, as they play host to Coppin State on Tuesday before heading to Shirley Povich Field in Bethesda, Md., to take on Georgetown for the second time in eight days on Wednesday.</p>
<p>ARMY … A CLOSER LOOK
The Army Black Knights make the trip down to Annapolis with an 11-18 overall mark and 3-5 record in league play, which ranks fifth in the six-team league. The Black Knights earned a series split at Holy Cross last weekend, prior to which they dropped three of four on their home field against Bucknell.
Armys pitching staff will look to improve upon its 6.36 team ERA. Last season, the Black Knights sported a 3.77 team ERA, but lost LHP Nick Hill and RHP Milan Dinga to the MLB draft.
Preseason Roger Clemens Award Watch List pitcher Cole White is looking to regain his form from 2007, as he owns a 12.60 ERA and a 0-4 record over five starts after an injury in the season-opener against Louisiana-Lafayette sidelined him for the first-few weeks of the season. Rookie hard-throwing southpaw Joey Henshaw suffered an undisclosed injury against Bucknell on the mound and is not slated to start against the Mids this weekend.
While White is working his way back on the hill, he has done significant damage with his bat. White leads the team with a .417 batting average, .667 slugging percentage and .533 on-base percentage. Rookie Clint Moore has hit at a .348 clip and paces the Black Knights with 26 runs, 39 hits and four home runs. Armys offense is collectively hitting .298 and averaging 7.00 runs per game.
Armys defense has committed 58 errors in 29 games this spring. Despite a .948 fielding percentage, the Black Knights have turned 24 double plays and have thrown out 41.7% of all attempted base stealers.</p>
<p>COPPIN STATE … A CLOSER LOOK
The Coppin State Eagles come into the weekend with a 2-34 overall record and have dropped 24-consecutive contests. Last season, Coppin State was faced with just an 11-man roster and finished the year with an 0-44 record. The Eagles are hitting .224 as a team, while the pitching staff owns an 11.27 ERA as a whole.</p>
<p>GEORGETOWN … A CLOSER LOOK
The Georgetown Hoyas head into the weekend with a 12-17 record after defeating Navy, 6-0, in Annapolis last Wednesday. The Hoyas pitching staff combined for no walks and 12 strikeouts in limiting the Mids to seven singles. Power-hitter Sean Lamont leads the team with nine doubles, seven home runs, 24 RBIs and a .598 slugging percentage.</p>
<p>LOOKING BACK AT LAST WEEK…
The Navy baseball posted a 3-1 weekend for the second-consecutive week in Patriot League play, as it swept Lehigh on Saturday in Annapolis before splitting a twinbill on Sunday up in Bethlehem, Pa. Navys pitching staff allowed just 11 runs over the four-game set, while Thomas Hamilton hit a home run in back-to-back contests to close out the series.
Two days later, the Midshipmen dropped an 8-7 decision under the lights at UMBC. For the second-straight game, Michael Speciale led off the contest with a home run to right-center. Rookie Mike Guadagnini became just the second Navy freshman and the first in 34 years to homer twice in the same game. On Wednesday, Navy received six strong innings from starter Alec Thomas, but the offense was held in check for a 6-0 setback.</p>
<p>MIDS IN THE LIMELIGHT
For the third-consecutive year, the Army-Navy series will be televised nationally, as CBS College Sports Network (formerly CSTV) will broadcast the first game of the Sunday doubleheader (April 13) in Annapolis. Pete Medhurst and F.P. Santangelo will provide the play-by-play and color commentary, respectively.
One week prior to the Army-Navy weekend, Navys Sunday twinbill at Lehigh was televised in the Lehigh Valley live on Service Electric 2 Sports.</p>
<p>ARMY-NAVY SERIES NAMED TOP RIVALRY IN THE NORTH
With both teams participating in last years Patriot League Tournament and predicted to do so once again in 2008, the Army-Navy series has been billed as the No. 1 rivalry in the North Region by Baseball America.</p>
<p>THE JOE DUFF INDOOR BATTING FACILITY
The Navy baseball program will dedicate its new, state-of-the-art indoor batting facility after longtime Navy skipper Joe Duff on Saturday, April 12, prior to the start of the 12 noon doubleheader against service academy foe Army.
Duff served as the head coach of the Navy baseball team from 1962-93 and won a school-record 595 games in the process. His teams combined to win six league titles and advanced to the NCAA Tournament on three occasions. Prior to becoming the head coach of the baseball program, he served as the plebe baseball coach and an assistant basketball coach for 10 years at Navy.
In spring 2007, the Midshipmen opened one of the finest indoor batting facilities in the nation. A 5,000-square foot, heated indoor hitting facility was constructed, enabling the Midshipmen to work on their skills, rain or shine. The 50-foot wide, 100-foot long, 16-foot high indoor facility features two pitching mounds and a state-of-the-art hitting screen. The Pro Batter Professional PX2 Video Pitching Machine allows hitters to bat against a simulated pitcher with several different pitches and a wide range of velocities.
The roof of the batting facility has been surfaced with railings surrounding its perimeter, serving as a hospitality venue that provides an outstanding view of the entire ballpark and the Naval Academy.</p>
<p>MEET THE MIDS SLATED FOR APRIL 12
The Naval Academy Athletic Association will hold a “Meet the Mids” event in between the Army-Navy baseball doubleheader on Saturday, April 12, at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium, starting at 12 noon.
The Navy baseball team will be available for autographs in between games, with the first 100 kids in line for the autograph session receiving a “Meet the Mids” t-shirt, compliments of Chick-fil-A. Also, Navy’s 2008 baseball poster will be available with several prizes being handed out. </p>
<p>87 WINS AND COUNTING SINCE 2006
The Midshipmen have set a school record for most wins over a three-year stretch in the 113-year history of the baseball program. Since the start of the 2006 season, Navy has won 87 games, matching the topping the previous mark of 84 triumphs produced by the 1981-83 Midshipmen.
Navy won 67 games between the 2006 and 07 seasons, the highest win total over a two-year span in program history. The previous record stood at 60 wins between the 1982 and 83.</p>
<p>NAVY AIMING FOR BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK 30-WIN SEASONS
The Navy baseball team is aiming for its third-consecutive 30-win season in 2008. The Midshipmen set a school record with 35 wins last year and recorded 32 victories in 2006. In fact, prior to the 2006 season, Navy had won only 30 games in a year on three occasions.</p>
<p>HISTORY OF SUCCESS IN THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Navy baseball team has enjoyed significant success since joining the Patriot League in 1993. Over that span, Navy has gone 186-124 (.600) in league play and advanced to the NCAA Tournament four times. The Midshipmen have won the league postseason title five times, more than any other school in the league.</p>
<p>NAVY PRESEASON PATRIOT LEAGUE FAVORITE IN MANY CIRCLES
The Navy baseball team has been tabbed to win the Patriot League Championship and earn an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament by a slew of preseason publications.
The Midshipmen were picked to finish first in the Patriot League by the leagues coaches and sports information contacts in the preseason poll. The Mids claimed 43 points and four first-place ballots to lead the way, while Lafayette came in a close second with 42 points and four first-place votes.
Navy has also been picked to win the Patriot League according to Baseball America, CollegeBaseballInsider.com and CSTV.com. In CSTV.coms preseason prediction, the Mids will advance to the NCAA Tournament and compete in the Columbia, S.C., regional against No. 8 national seed South Carolina.</p>
<p>FAST-STARTING MIDS
Since taking over the reigns in 2006, head coach Paul Kostacopoulos has started Patriot League play on the right foot. Over his first-three seasons, Navy is 11-1 (.917) in its league-opening weekend. The Midshipmen swept Holy Cross in a four-game set in 2006 and 07, followed by a 3-1 mark at Lafayette this season.
Navys 6-2 mark in Patriot League play after the second weekend of action ranks as one the best in school history. The 1994, 1997 and 1999 squads each went 7-1 to start league play, while the 1995, 1998 and 2006 teams each jumped out to a 6-2 start. In four of those six years, Navy went on to win the Patriot League Tournament.</p>
<p>TEN AND IN?
Since the Patriot League went to six teams in 1996, only three teams have had to record a .500-plus record to rank fourth in the league. The only team that posted a winning mark to finish fourth was the 2002 Army squad.
With the Patriot League Tournament expanding to a four-team format in 2008, Navys 6-2 record puts itself in prime position to make the leagues tournament for the second-straight year.</p>
<p>KOSTACOPOULOS LOOKING FOR WIN NO. 600 THIS YEAR
Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos will aim for his 600th career victory in his 19th year as a head coach in 2008. The third-year Navy skipper needs just nine more victories to reach the mark, as he owns a career record of 591-386-3 (.605). Kostacopoulos has won 30-plus games in each of his last-seven seasons and 11 times in his career.</p>
<p>KOSTACOPOULOS GOES FOR CAREER WIN NO. 100 WITH NAVY
Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos will go for another milestone mark in 2008, attempting to become the fourth Navy coach to earn 100 career victories with the Mids. Over his first-two-plus seasons in Annapolis, he owns a career mark of 87-54-1 (.616). A strong 13-3 mark would tie him for second fastest to 100 wins with Joe Duff.</p>
<p>HOME SWEET HOME
Navy is scheduled to play 33 games on its home field, Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium, this spring. The 33 home games would tie the school record for most in a season, as the Midshipmen went 22-11 in their 33 ballgames in Annapolis last season. Through 20 home game this spring, the Midshipmen own a 13-7 record.
Since the installation of FieldTurf at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium before the start of the 2006 season, Navy has gone 51-29-1 (.636) in its 81 home games.</p>
<p>MARCH MADNESS
Navy played 17 of its 33 scheduled home games this spring in the month of March, all within a span of 26 days. The Midshipmen compiled a record of 11-6 on their home field during that span.
In the midst of that wild stretch, Navy also played two road games. The Mids played at 16th-ranked Virginia on March12, before driving during the night to take on Maryland-Eastern Shore at Princess Anne, Md. The Midshipmen would not have an opportunity to relax, as they immediately came back to Annapolis to host a round-robin tournament over the following three days.</p>
<p>POWER OUTAGE IN ANNAPOLIS…
While the Midshipmen have produced a stellar mark at home since 2006, they primarily havent done so with the long ball. Last season, Navy and its opposition combined to hit just six home runs in 33 games inside the pitcher-friendly confines of Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium.
Among those six long balls, only one came off the bat of a Navy hitter – a Mitch Harris opposite-field blast on Feb. 18, 2007, against Iona. Michael Speciale broke the 32-game drought with a three-run shot to right-center against Dartmouth on March 1. </p>
<p>BUT THE POWER HAS BEEN RESTORED!
The Midshipmen have belted 10 home runs in their first-20 games on its home field. The most prolific shot came against Rhode Island on March 8, when Steven Soares smashed a 420-foot shot over the scoreboard in left-center. Michael Speciale and Mitch Harris have each hit three long balls in Annapolis already this season.</p>
<p>HARRIS GOES DEEP IN THREE-STRAIGHT GAMES … AGAIN!
Navy power hitter Mitch Harris (Sr./Mt. Holly, N.C.) hit a home run in three-consecutive games for the second time in his career during an impressive tear on March 13-15.
Harris smashed a 410-feet blast over the centerfield fence at Maryland-Eastern Shore before going deep twice against Monmouth in Annapolis. The multi-home run performance at home was the first by a Navy hitter since Tony Mauro against Lafayette on April 3, 1999. Harris blasted his fourth long ball in three days against Maine, this time over the fence at the deepest part of the ballpark, approximately 410 feet.
The Navy slugger hit a home run in three-consecutive games during a series sweep against Holy Cross at Fitton Field last season.
Only one other Navy hitter has ever hit a round-tripper in three-straight games. Mark Zematis first accomplished the feat on the road at East Carolina on March 4-5, 2000.</p>
<p>GUADAGNINI GOES DEEP…TWICE
Navy freshman Mike Guadagnini belted two towering home runs at UMBC on April 8. Guadagnini became the second Navy freshman and the first in 34 years to belt two long balls in the same game. Terry Cook first achieved the feat against Towson on April 30, 1974.
Guadagnini joins Navy slugger Mitch Harris as Mids that have posted a multi-home run effort this season. Prior to this year, only two other Midshipmen went deep twice in the same game since the 2002 campaign.</p>
<p>THOMAS THE PATRIOT HAMILTON
Navy team captain Thomas Hamilton has feasted on Patriot League pitching over the last-two seasons, as he has hit at a .419 (44-for-105) clip with five doubles, three home runs and 29 RBIs. This year, hes batting .441 (15-for-31) with three long balls and nine RBIs.
Earlier in the week, Hamilton was recognized as the ECAC and Patriot League Player of the Week. The Navy first baseman is currently on a 14-game hitting streak, a span in which he has hit .431 (25-for-58) with eight multi-hit efforts.</p>
<p>NAVYS OFFENSE EXPLODES AT UMES
The Navy offense produced offensive figures it had not seen in five years during its 20-6 victory at Maryland-Eastern Shore on March 13.
The 20 runs scored were the most by the Mids since they plated 24 runs against Hartford on March 22, 2003. The 24 base knocks, 10 of which went for extra bases, were the most by a Navy team since they tallied 24 hits against Bucknell in the 2003 Patriot League Tournament.</p>
<p>MARATHON BASEBALL
In a clash among the Patriot Leagues top-two teams in the leagues preseason poll on March 29-30, Navy and Lafayette played a four-game set that will be remembered for some time.
The Midshipmen and the Leopards battled over 37 innings in the four-game set, the longest Patriot League weekend in Navys program history. The previous longest league weekend for the Mids came last year at Army, when they squared off for 35 innings.
The series finale between Navy and Lafayette lasted 13 innings, the longest game in league play for the Mids. The contest lasted four hours and six minutes, as the Midshipmen came away with a thrilling 6-5 win. The 13-inning ballgame was the longest for Navy since a 7-6 loss to UMBC in Annapolis on March 31, 1993.</p>
<p>THE YOUNG MIDS
Navys 2008 roster is comprised of a combined 31 freshmen and sophomores out of its 40 roster spots. The Midshipmen boast the youngest squad in the Patriot League with 15 freshmen and 16 sophomores, while Lehigh follows in a close second with its 13 freshmen and 12 sophomores. </p>
<p>MIDS GETTING IT DONE IN THE CLASSROOM, TOO
Being a member of a league that prides itself on maintaining high academic standards while pursuing athletic success, Navy ranks among the Patriot Leagues top-three schools in the NCAAs Academic Progress Rates (APR) for baseball.
The Midshipmen earned a mark of 980, which also places them among the nations top-10th percentile in baseball. Navys athletic program also ranks among the premier institutions in each sport across the board. The Midshipmen boasted a mark higher than the Division I average in 22 of their 23 NCAA sports, including the nations highest score in seven sports (each with a perfect 1,000).
The APR is the fulcrum upon which the entire academic-reform structure rests. Developed as a more real-time assessment of teams academic performance than the six-year graduation-rate calculation provides, the APR awards two points each term to student-athletes who meet academic-eligibility standards and who remain with the institution. A teams APR is the total points earned by the term at a given time divided by the total points possible.</p>
<p>ACCELERATING THEIR LIFE AFTER GRADUATION
Each of Navys seven seniors on this years baseball team are going to serve their country in a variety of roles following commissioning in May. Graduates from the United States Naval Academy will begin their military careers as either an Ensign in the United States Navy or a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.
This year, each of Navys seniors will be commissioned as Ensigns in the United States Navy, entering the Surface Warfare, Aviation, Submarine (Nuclear) and Supply Corps communities. </p>
<p>MITCH HARRIS … 29TH BEST COLLEGE PROSPECT BY BASEBALL AMERICA
Navy baseball right-handed pitcher Mitch Harris has been tabbed as the nation’s 29th-best college prospect for the 2008 MLB First-Year Player Draft, it was announced by Baseball America. The rankings were compiled by Baseball America through discussions with scouts and represent overall future potential.
Harris ranks as the second-highest collegiate prospect among seniors in this year’s draft class. Only Georgia senior right-handed pitcher Joshua Fields placed ahead of Harris, coming in at 27th on the list.
In the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft last June, Harris was selected in the 24th round by the Atlanta Braves organization. This past summer, he played in the prestigious Cape Cod League with the Bourne Braves. Facing some of the nation’s best collegiate hitters, he started seven contests and boasted a 3.94 ERA in 29.2 innings with 25 strikeouts. With the help of the Navy right-hander, Bourne won the Western Division regular season title with a 25-17-2 record.
Harris was selected Second-Team All-Patriot League as both a starting pitcher and a designated hitter last May, becoming the first player in school history to earn all-league accolades at two different positions within the same year. One month later, he became the first player in school history to earn ABCA all-region accolades multiple times during his career, as he was first-team selection in 2006 and a second-team member in 2007.
Prior to the start of the 2008 season, Harris was selected as a candidate for the 2008 Brooks Wallace Award, which is awarded to the nation’s top-collegiate player. Last year’s Brooks Wallace award went to Vanderbilt pitcher, David Price. Price was the first overall pick in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft and is pitching in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. The 2006 winner was standout pitcher/designated hitter Brad Lincoln of Houston. Nebraska’s Alex Gordon, currently with the Kansas City Royals, took home the 2005 trophy. The inaugural award was given in 2004 to Kurt Suzuki of Cal State Fullerton, who is now catching for the Oakland A’s.</p>
<p>NAVYS HOME SELECTED AS LEAGUES FAVORITE ROAD STADIUM
Navys home field, Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium, was voted as the favorite road stadium in the Patriot League, voted by the leagues coaches on CollegeBaseballInsider.com.
This does not particularly comes as a surprise, as the $2.5-million renovation process at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium commenced in October 2005 and featured a variety of upgrades that make the home of Navy baseball one of the finest facilities in the East to play and watch a game. The multi-million dollar baseball facility is named after the longtime baseball coach Max Bishop (1937-61) and the Terwilliger family for their generous support of the Naval Academy and the Naval Academy Athletic Association.
The facilitys biggest improvement was the installation of a new playing surface, as the natural grass was dug up and 124,000-square feet of FieldTurf was put in January 2006. FieldTurf is the same surface used by Major League Baseball’s Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays, as well as Navy’s Jack Stephens Field at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
Terwilliger Brothers Field became only the third field in college baseball to feature FieldTurf over the entire playing surface, with the exception of the pitcher’s mound and home plate.
In spring 2007, a 5,000-square foot, heated indoor hitting and pitching facility was constructed, enabling the Midshipmen to work on their skills, rain or shine. The 50-foot wide, 100-foot long, 16-foot high indoor facility features two pitching mounds and a state-of-the-art hitting screen. The Pro Batter Professional PX2 Video Pitching Machine allows hitters to bat against a simulated pitcher with several different pitches and a wide range of velocities.
The roof of the hitting and pitching facility has been surfaced with railings surrounding its perimeter, serving as a hospitality venue that provides an outstanding view of the entire ballpark and the Naval Academy.
Concurrent with the field transformation, 1,000 chair-back seats have been installed with brick archways surrounding the stadium. Behind the left field fence, one can find a state-of-the-art LED matrix scoreboard with a video screen. Additionally, a concession stand located on the concourse level behind home plate and a patio area help create an intimate surrounding to watch and enjoy a Navy baseball game.</p>