ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Interstat) — Matt Archibald struck out 15 over 7 2/3 dominant innings and the Navy offense erupted for six runs in the seventh inning to power the Midshipmen to an 8-3 victory over Lehigh in the first game of a Patriot League doubleheader on Saturday at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium.

The game was a pitcher’s duel for six innings before Navy’s bats came alive to break open a tight contest. The win improved Navy to 18-11 overall, while Lehigh fell to 5-21.

Archibald, the top star for Navy, was nearly untouchable for most of the afternoon. He allowed just three hits and two earned runs while walking two. His 15 strikeouts overwhelmed the Lehigh lineup, which managed only five hits total. The performance continued a stellar stretch for the right-hander, who threw 6 1/3 no-hit innings in a win over Army on March 28.

He was matched for much of the game by Lehigh starter Cole Leaman, who was equally brilliant over six scoreless innings. Leaman did not allow a hit, struck out 10, and walked four. The only run charged to him came in the second inning after he had left the game, when a walk he issued came around to score on an RBI single by Chris Klug off reliever Ryan Holman.

Lehigh took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Aidan Quinn launched a solo home run to right-center field off Archibald. That slim advantage held until the fateful bottom of the seventh.

The most important part of the game unfolded in that inning, as Navy sent 10 batters to the plate against two Lehigh relievers. Klug led off with a single and, after a sacrifice bunt and a strikeout, was driven in along with Victor Izquierdo on a two-run double by Andrew Manning, giving Navy a 3-1 lead. After a hit-by-pitch, Patrick Walsh delivered a two-run double to left-center. Evan Brown then capped the outburst by crushing a two-run homer to left-center, stretching the lead to 7-1.

Navy added an insurance run in the eighth on another RBI single from Manning, who finished 2 for 5 with three RBIs. Brown’s homer accounted for his two RBIs, while Klug went 3 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Lehigh scratched across a run in the eighth on an RBI double by Ryan Cochran and another in the ninth on a pinch-hit RBI triple by Ryan Davis, but it was not enough. Jackson Beattie recorded the final four outs for Navy to secure the win.

The victory gave Navy an edge in the early conference series after the teams split a three-game set at Lehigh in March. The teams were set to conclude the doubleheader later Saturday.