BETHLEHEM, Pa. (Interstat) — The Navy baseball team will look to even its Patriot League series with Lehigh on Saturday at Legacy Park after a narrow defeat in the opener.

The Midshipmen (12-5) fell 3-1 to the Mountain Hawks (3-10) on Friday afternoon despite a dominant pitching performance from ace Brady Bendik. The right-hander struck out 10 over seven innings but took the loss, allowing three unearned runs on no hits.

Navy, which has won 10 of its last 13 games, will seek to rebound against a Lehigh squad that snapped a five-game skid with Friday’s victory. The Midshipmen’s potent offense, which scored 15 runs at Norfolk State on Tuesday, was stifled by Lehigh’s Sam Fairhurst and Christopher Nell, who combined for 12 strikeouts.

Fairhurst earned the win Friday with five innings of one-run ball, striking out seven. He is expected to be a key figure again for the Mountain Hawks, either on the mound or at the plate.

The weather for the afternoon contest is forecast to be cloudy with a temperature of 42 degrees.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a Navy victory with a final score of 8-2.

Following Saturday’s game, the series concludes Sunday at Legacy Park. Navy then hosts Maine on Wednesday before opening a home Patriot League series with Bucknell next weekend. Lehigh travels to Penn on Wednesday before hosting Holy Cross to begin league play next Saturday.