WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Army Black Knights scored 11 runs on 17 hits to defeat the Holy Cross softball team 5-4 and 6-3 Saturday afternoon at the Army Softball Complex in West Point, N.Y. With the two wins, Army maintains its lead in the Patriot League with a 7-2 league record (21-15 overall), while the Crusaders drop to 4-6 in the Patriot League and 9-23 overall.
Game 1
Back-to-back doubles in the second inning gave Army a quick 3-0 lead. Holy Cross tied the game when senior Mandy Correale (Peabody, Mass.) led off the third inning with a single, stole second base, moved to third on a single by junior Keeley Seniuk (Phoenix, Ariz.) and then both runners scored on a two-RBI double by sophomore Gwen Reimer (Pottsville, Pa.). Reimer scored on a single by senior Amanda Audette (New Bedford, Mass.) to tie the game 3-3.
Two runs on two hits and one Holy Cross error, gave the Black Knights a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Junior Erin Fleming (Townsend, Mass.) hit her sixth home run of the season, a new Holy Cross single-season record, in the fourth inning to get the Crusaders within one, but shutout ball in the final three frames secured the 5-4 win for Army.
Junior Caitlin Belanger (Fall River, Mass.) suffered the loss for the Crusaders, pitching six complete innings and giving up nine hits. Both teams recorded nine hits and an error a piece.
Game 2
Audette scored in the seventh inning of the second game to break up a 6-0 shut out by Army. Freshman Sam Fregenti (Melville, N.Y.) hit her fourth home run of the season to score two more runs, but Holy Cross couldn't get any closer, falling 6-3.
Freshman Jenna Legros (Sandy Hook, Conn.) and junior Katie Alexander (Tigard, Ore.) combined time in the circle for the Crusaders. Legros pitched the first two and one-third innings, allowing six hits. Alexander finished the game, pitching three and two-thirds innings, giving up just two hits. Army scored six runs on eight hits and made two errors, while the Crusaders scored three runs on eight hits and didn't commit any errors.
The Crusaders and the Black Knights will return to the diamond for the final two games of the series, tomorrow, April 18. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.
