Silvio Giardina led off the bottom of the third inning with a single and scored the game’s first run Friday when Lehigh University opened its Patriot League baseball schedule with a 5-1 victory over Navy.
Navy came into the game with a 12-4 record.
Giardina is starting at shortstop and batting ninth for the Mountain Hawks. He has started all but two games and appeared in one of the others during Lehigh’s 4-10 start.
The freshman from Pittston Area got off to a slow start at the plate, before going 5-for-12 in a four-game stretch over eight days through Friday. Giardina was 1-for-22 to begin his college career, but has raised his average from .045 to .176.
Giardina got going offensively when he was 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI in a 14-9 loss to Davidson. Lehigh trailed 8-2 going into the fourth inning before Giardina singled in two runs and scored another in a five-run outburst.
On the season, Giardina is 6-for-34 with four runs scored and two runs batted in. He is 1-for-2 stealing bases, has two sacrifices and has drawn five walks while striking out 12 times.
