WORCESTER, Mass. (Interstat) — Brady Bendik authored a masterful performance on the mound, and a second-inning home run by Jake Hooten provided just enough offense as the Navy Midshipmen edged the Holy Cross Crusaders 3-2 on Friday in the opener of a Patriot League doubleheader.

The game, played at Fitton Field, was a pitcher’s duel defined by early scoring and missed opportunities for the home team. Navy improved to 23-14 overall, while Holy Cross fell to 16-20.

Bendik, a right-hander for the Midshipmen, was the unequivocal star, delivering seven dominant innings. He allowed just one earned run on no hits, striking out five and walking three. The lone blemish was a balk in the fourth inning that forced in a run. He worked out of a significant jam in the first inning, inducing an inning-ending flyout after the Crusaders had loaded the bases with two singles and a walk. Bendik has now allowed just one earned run over his last 21 2/3 innings pitched across three starts.

His counterpart, Holy Cross’s Jaden Wywoda, was nearly as effective but was undone by one swing. Wywoda also went seven innings, surrendering three earned runs on five hits with five strikeouts.

The game’s most decisive moment came in the top of the second inning. With two outs and Andrew Manning on first via a walk, Hooten, the Navy center fielder, connected on a Wywoda offering and drove it down the left-field line for a two-run homer. The blast gave the Midshipmen a 2-0 lead they would not relinquish.

Navy added a critical insurance run in the sixth. Tyler Cripe walked, was sacrificed to second, advanced to third on a groundout, and scored on a sharp RBI single to right field by designated hitter Patrick Walsh, making it 3-1.

Holy Cross mounted its most serious threat in the bottom of the seventh, capitalizing on a Navy error. After Alex Sandell reached on a single and advanced to third on a fielding error by the Navy center fielder, Braden Connors delivered a two-out RBI single through the right side to score Sandell and pull the Crusaders within a run. The hit brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate, but Bendik closed his outing by getting John LaFleur to fly out to right field, stranding two runners.

The Crusaders out-hit the Midshipmen 6-5 but grounded into a key double play in the first inning and left seven runners on base. Navy’s defense turned two double plays in support of Bendik.

The result defied the pregame projections from Interstat, whose game simulator had predicted a 7-5 Holy Cross victory and whose ELO system gave the Crusaders a 51% probability to win.

The victory gave Navy an early advantage in the three-game weekend series, with the second game of Friday’s doubleheader to follow.