Lehigh University Athletics
Friday, March 13
Bethlehem, Pa.
3:00 PM
Lehigh University
4-10, 1-0
3
vs
1
Navy
12-5, 0-1
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
6th innning6
7th innning7
8th innning8
9th innning9
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
Navy
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
5
1
Lehigh
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
X
3
6
0
Photo by: Ethan Kenworthy
Lehigh Defeats Navy 3-1 In Patriot League Opener
3/13/2026 6:59:00 PM | Baseball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh baseball opened Patriot League play on Friday afternoon from J. David Walker Field against the Navy Midshipmen. Stellar performances on the mound from starter Sam Fairhurst and reliever Christopher Nell guided the Mountain Hawks to a 3-1 victory over the Mids.
Fairhurst earned the win for Lehigh (4-10, 1-0 PL), striking out seven batters while allowing four hits and one earned run in 5.0 innings pitched. Nell impressed with five strikeouts with only one hit in 4.0 scoreless innings. Navy starter Brady Bendik was credited with the loss despite a solid stat line of ten strikeouts with six hits and three earned runs in 7.0 complete innings.
Fairhurst and Bendik made quick work through the first two innings, as both pitchers only faced eight batter through the first and second innings. The Mountain Hawks broke the tie in the bottom of the third, plating three runs on RBIs from Raffaele Rogers, Aidan Quinn, and Ryan Cochran. Fairhurst then retired the side 1-2-3 in the top of the fourth inning.
After several great innings from Fairhurst and Bendik, the Mids finally got on the board in the top of the sixth when Ty DePerno grounded into a double play that scored Mason Ceccarelli. Nell entered the game and limited Navy to only one run in the frame, keeping the score at 3-1. The Mids generated runners on third and first in the eighth, but Nell got the outs necessary to keep Navy off the board. A 1-2-3 inning in the top of the ninth for the first-year sealed Lehigh's league-opening victory.
Quinn finished the day going 2-3 with a walk and an RBI. Dom Patrizi, Owen Walewander, Silvio Giardina, and Rogers also recorded hits for the Mountain Hawks.
The Mountain Hawks return to J. David Walker Field for game two of the series on Saturday, March 14 at 1 p.m.
Like Lehigh Baseball on Facebook, follow on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
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Fairhurst earned the win for Lehigh (4-10, 1-0 PL), striking out seven batters while allowing four hits and one earned run in 5.0 innings pitched. Nell impressed with five strikeouts with only one hit in 4.0 scoreless innings. Navy starter Brady Bendik was credited with the loss despite a solid stat line of ten strikeouts with six hits and three earned runs in 7.0 complete innings.
Fairhurst and Bendik made quick work through the first two innings, as both pitchers only faced eight batter through the first and second innings. The Mountain Hawks broke the tie in the bottom of the third, plating three runs on RBIs from Raffaele Rogers, Aidan Quinn, and Ryan Cochran. Fairhurst then retired the side 1-2-3 in the top of the fourth inning.
After several great innings from Fairhurst and Bendik, the Mids finally got on the board in the top of the sixth when Ty DePerno grounded into a double play that scored Mason Ceccarelli. Nell entered the game and limited Navy to only one run in the frame, keeping the score at 3-1. The Mids generated runners on third and first in the eighth, but Nell got the outs necessary to keep Navy off the board. A 1-2-3 inning in the top of the ninth for the first-year sealed Lehigh's league-opening victory.
Quinn finished the day going 2-3 with a walk and an RBI. Dom Patrizi, Owen Walewander, Silvio Giardina, and Rogers also recorded hits for the Mountain Hawks.
The Mountain Hawks return to J. David Walker Field for game two of the series on Saturday, March 14 at 1 p.m.
Like Lehigh Baseball on Facebook, follow on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Fairhurst, Sam (2-1)
L: Brady Bendik (2-2)
S: Nell, Christopher (1)
Batting:
2B: Mason Ceccarelli 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mason Ceccarelli 1
CS: Mason Ceccarelli 1
HBP: Mason Ceccarelli 1 ; Tyler Cripe 1
Batting:
2B: Rogers, Raffaele 1 ; Walewander, Owen 1
RBI: Rogers, Raffaele 1 ; Quinn, Aidan 1 ; Cochran, Ryan 1
SH: Carvelli, Robbie 1
SF: Cochran, Ryan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Patrizi, Dom 1 ; Rogers, Raffaele 1 ; Giardina, Silvio 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
IF
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RHP
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INF
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RHP
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