Mathias' Home Run; Hoar's Excellent Start Propel Bison to Series Win Over Navy

Sunday, March 22

Annapolis, Md.

1 p.m.

Bucknell University

9-11, 5-1

Navy

15-8, 2-4

Bucknell

Navy

Photo by: Alisa Mitchell

Mathias' Home Run; Hoar's Excellent Start Propel Bison to Series Win Over Navy

3/22/2026 3:50:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell baseball team won its three-game series at Navy with a 3-1 win in the rubber match on Sunday afternoon at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium.

Bucknell's (9-11, 5-1 PL ) 5-1 start in the Patriot League is its best start in conference play since 2022. Bucknell and Holy Cross (9-13, 5-1 PL) are tied for first in the Patriot League through six games.

Garrett Mathias' two-run home run in the first inning was good enough for the win behind Brady Hoar's best start in Orange & Blue. Jake Schultz came on in the eighth to strand a runner at third and closed out the ninth to earn his first career save.

Billy Fluharty was hot out of the leadoff spot with a 4-for-5 day the plate. The centerfielder drove in a run in the seventh to give the Bison some added insurance. Hoar tossed a career-high seven innings after Mathias' early homer. He finished his day allowing one earned run on four hits. The freshman had only two strikeouts, but surrendered no walks as he forced 10 groundouts and seven fly outs.

Schultz took over in the eighth inning as Navy chased Hoar with two hits to put both runners in scoring position with no outs. Schultz forced a ground out as Navy plated its first run of the game before a strikeout and groundout ended the inning with the runner at third.

Schultz then struck out the first two batters on the ninth before the Mids came up with a two-out hit. The right-hander forced a ground ball to second, and Andrew Swenson made the play to end the ballgame.

Mathias' homer was his second of the season after hitting a homer in his first collegiate at-bat against Charleston Southern. Fluharty came into score as he led off the inning with a single.

Bucknell had nine hits in the game and stranded seven runners in scoring position. Hoar and Schultz allowed no walks on the mound but did hit one batter.

Navy's Owen Phypers pitched seven innings on the mound, allowing three runs on eight hits with four strikeouts.

Bucknell has two midweek road games at Mount St. Mary's on Tuesday at 3 p.m. and at Penn State on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. The Bison are back at Depew Field next weekend as a three-game series with Lehigh begins on Friday at 3 p.m.