ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Lafayette Baseball team took another step toward a berth in the Patriot League Tournament with a 5-2 win over first place Navy in the opening game of a doubleheader at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium.

After falling behind 1-0, the Leopards battled back to tie the score in the fifth inning on a solo home run by freshman Dylan Minghini and eventually took a 2-1 lead on an RBI single by Spencer Rouse later in the frame.

The next time Rouse came to the plate with runners on second and third in the seventh inning, the Mids elected to walk him to load the bases. Ethan Stern made him pay with an RBI single and Richard Villa plated two more with a single to right field.

Left-hander Brett Kreyer started and went the distance to earn his fourth victory of the year. The junior scattered eight hits and struck out five yielding only a pair of earned runs.

Rouse, Minghini and Dan Leckie all registered two hits for Lafayette in the opening game.

The nightcap start much like the opener with both pitchers tossing three scoreless frames. The Leopards broke through in the fourth when Leckie tripled to score Trey Durrah who had walked to open the inning.

Navy (33-15, 17-7 PL)  answered back with three runs in the fifth off of starter Kyle Subers. These would be the only runs that the Lafayette pitching staff would surrender in the game as Subers and reliever Ethan O'Connor would limit the hosts to five hits.

While the Leopards were earning the split with Navy, Lehigh lost a pair at Bucknell on Sunday.  This reduced the magic number for Lafayette to clinch a spot in the Patriot League postseason to two games. 

Before wrapping up the League schedule at home with two games each against Army and Holy Cross, the Leopards are scheduled to play single games this week at Rider (Tuesday) and against Seton Hall (Wednesday) at Kamine Stadium.

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