CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Interstat) — The Navy baseball team opened its 2026 season with a commanding 12-1 victory over Queens University of Charlotte on Friday evening at Truist Park, a game defined by an explosive early offensive display and a dominant pitching performance that silenced the Royals’ bats.

The Midshipmen set the tone immediately, plating a run in the first inning without the benefit of a hit. After singles by J. Loudon and C. Klug put runners on the corners, E. Brown delivered a sacrifice fly to center field to score Loudon. That early run foreshadowed a relentless offensive attack.

Navy broke the game open in the second and fourth innings, building an insurmountable lead. In the second, V. Izquierdo walked, stole second, and scored on an RBI groundout by H. Mitchell. T. Cripe, who also walked and stole a base, then scored on an RBI double by Loudon.

The most decisive sequence came in the top of the fourth inning. With two runners in scoring position, Cripe lifted another sacrifice fly to score Izquierdo. Mitchell followed with an RBI single to plate A. Ceccarelli. The inning’s crushing blow came next, as Loudon launched a two-run home run to left field off Royals starter Joseph Ruller, extending the Navy lead to 6-0. Loudon finished the afternoon a triple shy of the cycle, driving in five runs.

Queens, which managed only four hits, struggled to generate any offense against Navy starter B. Bendik and reliever R. Bibb. The Royals’ lone highlight came in the bottom of the sixth inning when K. McDowell broke up the shutout with a solo home run to right field. Bradley Brown’s double in the fourth was the only other extra-base hit for the home team.

Navy capitalized on Queens mistakes to add six unearned runs in the sixth and seventh innings. In the sixth, a dropped fly ball by the third baseman and a throwing error by relief pitcher Owen Shipman led to a big inning. Loudon cleared the bases with a two-run double, and Brown added his second sacrifice fly of the game. A. Manning contributed an RBI single to cap the five-run frame, all unearned. Izquierdo then led off the seventh with a solo home run to right field against reliever Avery Booker to provide the final margin.

The Midshipmen’s offense was efficient, racking up 13 hits and three sacrifice flies. Navy pitchers combined to strike out nine Royals batters while walking only one. Queens used three pitchers, with Ruller taking the loss after surrendering six earned runs over four innings.

With the victory, Navy begins its season 1-0, while Queens starts 0-1. The two teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Saturday to conclude the series.

The most important part of the game was the top of the fourth inning, where Navy transformed a manageable 2-0 lead into a 6-0 rout. The sequence, highlighted by Loudon’s two-run homer, demoralized the Royals and established complete control for the Midshipmen. It showcased Navy’s ability to execute small ball with sacrifice flies and then deliver the decisive power hit, effectively putting the game out of reach before the midway point.