March 5, 2004

Early errors and an anemic offense hurt the Navy baseball team Friday afternoon as it fell, 2-1, to visiting Pace at Max Bishop Stadium in the first game of a three-game series. The two teams play at a single game at 1 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

Two errors in the second inning and one in the third led to an unearned run in each inning and the Midshipmen offense was unable to respond as they recorded just four hits and were fanned 10 times by Setters' starting pitcher Patrick Stanley. Stanley, who walked one in 7-2/3 innings, got the win for Pace in the team's season opener. Rob Molinaro (Fr., Middletown, N.J.) dropped to 0-3 on the season. Navy is now 2-10.

"You have to be able to do the little things right when a guy is pitching as good as (Stanley) was and we didn't execute," said Navy coach Steve Whitmyer, whose team is 1-4 in one-run games. "He threw a great game and has three really good pitches.

"We aren't playing very good baseball right now."

In the second, Pace got on the board when Ricky Piovesan singled with one out and went to moved to third on a throwing error by shortstop Dominic Lopez (Fr., Quincy, Mich.). Piovesan tallied on a fielder's choice by Matt McNichol.

Molinaro was his own worst enemy in the third giving up a lead-off single to J.C. Pullum, who went to second on a throwing error by the Navy starter on a pick-off attempt. Pullum gave the visitors a 2-0 advantage as he crossed the plate on a single by Doug Hehner.

Four Navy relievers kept the hosts in the game scattering seven hits over the final 6-2/3 innings. The offense, however, could not get going recording its second lowest hit total of the season with four. Navy was held to three by Air Force last Saturday. When the Mids did get on base, they were caught stealing twice by Ferrauto.

Pace's Matt Reilly was perfect in 1-1/3 innings of work to get the save.