Navy Holds Off Baseball's Late Rally

Saturday, April 25

West Point, N.Y.

12:00 PM

Army West Point

19-21, 5-12

Navy

30-16, 11-6

Navy

Army West Point

Navy Holds Off Baseball's Late Rally

April 25, 2015 | Baseball

Box Score

April 25, 2015

Box Score | Box Score (PDF)

WEST POINT, N.Y. - With Navy clinging to a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, Jett Meenach entered a bases loaded situation and recorded the final two outs to preserve the victory for the Midshipmen in game one of Saturday's doubleheader at Johnson Stadium at Doubleday Field.

The loss officially eliminated the Black Knights from postseason contention and dropped them to 5-12 in the Patriot League. Navy improved to 11-6 in the conference and 30-16 overall.

Meenach came on in relief of starter Luke Gillingham after two Navy errors allowed the Black Knights to score one run in their last trip to the plate. The Navy left-hander struck out Jacob Page for the second out, before Alex Dickerson's comebacker was handled easily for the game's final out.

Third baseman Jon Rosoff went 2-for-4 in the contest to lead the Army West Point offense, while Alex Robinett threw a complete game on the mound. Navy was led offensively by Connor Deneen, who doubled and drove in the eventual winning run.

Two of the top starting pitchers in the Patriot League toed the rubber in the series opener as Robinett and Gillingham each stranded baserunners in the first inning. Harold Earls singled off Gilligham's glove after Robinett left two Navy baserunners on following an infield single and a walk in the top half of the frame.

Navy quickly had the first two runners on base in the second after a single to center by Leland Saile and a walk to Ben McGrath. A sacrifice bunt moved them up a base and a shallow fly ball to right field by Travis Blue was caught by second baseman Johnny Griffith and Saile tagged up from third to put the Mids in front.

Army West Point (19-21) looked to answer in the home half and loaded the bases with two outs for leadoff man Jon Rosoff. Gillingham won the battle with the Black Knights' third baseman as he grounded out to second for the final out.

The Midshipmen put together a two-out rally in the third to increase their lead to 2-0. Adrian Chinnery singled to keep the inning alive for Deneen, who ripped a two-base hit off the wall in right center as the lead doubled.

The trend continued for the Black Knights in the third, as two more runners were left on base as Gillingham took advantage of a strikeout to end the inning. Ben Smith singled and Alex Jensen walked to provide the men on base.

Robinett sent the Mids down in order in the fourth to keep the deficit at two runs, but Gillingham matched him with a 1-2-3 inning of his own. Robinett made it 10 consecutive outs with perfect innings in the fifth and sixth.

A leadoff single in the fifth by Rosoff gave the Black Knights a baserunner and they had two men on after Mark McCants was hit by a pitch with two away. Jensen put the ball in play right at third baseman Logan Knowles, who stepped on third to eliminate the threat.

Still trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the sixth, Jacob Page started the inning with a double inside the third base bag. A productive groundout to first by Alex Dickerson moved him to third with one out, but Ryan Levehagen's hard hit ball was snared by Gillingham for the second out. Griffith went down looking to leave Page at third.

Robinett (5-5) retired 12 straight Navy hitters, before a bad hop on a ball hit to Rosoff put Currie on first with two outs in the seventh. The senior righty got Brad Borosak to groundout, but was saddled with the loss after his seventh complete game of the year. Both runs were earned on five hits, with four strikeouts and two walks.

In the final at bat for Army West Point, Rosoff started the frame with a base hit back through the box and a popup to second base with one out by Smith ended up being dropped by Borosak. Rosoff scampered to second on the miscue and the Black Knights had two men on for McCants. A ground ball was misplayed at first base, which allowed Rosoff to score. Jensen came up and was hit by Gillingham's 0-2 pitch to load the bases for Page, before Meenach picked up his third save of the season. Army West Point left 12 men on base in all.

Game Notes: The West Point Color Guard presented the Nation's Colors prior to the national anthem ... Gen. Raymond Odierno, Chief of Staff, United States Army was in attendance for the game ... Army West Point wore its gold jerseys with black numbers and letters, white pants and black caps ... Harold Earls reached base safely for the fourth straight game ... Jon Rosoff registered his ninth multi-hit game of 2015.