CAPE SAINT CLAIRE, Md. (Interstat) — A trio of Dartmouth pitchers combined to allow just one hit over the final eight innings, and the Big Green capitalized on early Navy mistakes to secure a 3-1 victory on Friday at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium.

The win improved Dartmouth to 2-5 this season, while Navy fell to 8-4. The result defied pregame projections, as Interstat’s game simulator had forecast a 7-1 Navy victory, with the Midshipmen given a 60.6% probability to win.

The game’s decisive action was compressed into the first inning. Dartmouth’s Nico Bañez reached safely to lead off the game on a fielding error by Navy first baseman Henry Mitchell. After Bañez stole second, Taer Rodriguez drove him in with an RBI double down the first-base line. Following two strikeouts, Axel Riess delivered another double to right-center field, scoring Rodriguez. Both runs were unearned due to the initial error.

Navy answered immediately in the bottom of the first when leadoff hitter Mason Ceccarelli launched a solo home run down the right-field line off Dartmouth starter Izzy Parsky. The Midshipmen threatened for more, loading the bases later in the inning, but Parsky escaped the jam without further damage.

From that point forward, the game transformed into a pitchers’ duel defined by missed opportunities for Navy. Parsky settled in after the rocky first, and relievers Trey Sejnoha and Mac Burke were dominant. Sejnoha, named Dartmouth’s top star, entered with two on and one out in the fifth inning and struck out Navy’s Ty Cripe to end the threat. He proceeded to fire 3 2/3 hitless innings, striking out five. Burke closed the final 1 1/3 innings perfectly, fanning two.

The most important part of the game unfolded in the bottom of the fifth inning. With Dartmouth leading 3-1, Navy mounted its most serious threat. Victor Izquierdo walked and Andrew Manning singled, putting runners on first and second with one out against Parsky. Dartmouth turned to Sejnoha, who promptly struck out Patrick Walsh. A wild pitch then advanced both runners into scoring position, and Sejnoha issued a walk to load the bases. Facing the potential tying run, Sejnoha struck out Cripe on swings to end the inning, preserving the two-run lead and extinguishing Navy’s best chance to rally.

Navy starter Brady Bendik was effective in defeat, allowing one earned run on seven hits over six innings while striking out five. His lone earned run came in the sixth when Alejandro Puig’s groundout brought home Milo Suarez, who had walked and advanced on a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch.

Dartmouth’s offense was led by Bañez and Rodriguez, who each had two of the team’s eight hits. Navy managed only five hits total, with Manning collecting two, including a triple. After Ceccarelli’s first-inning homer, the Midshipmen went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base.

The two teams are scheduled to continue their series with a doubleheader on Saturday.