WEST POINT, N.Y. – Three Crusaders recorded 2+ hits as the Holy Cross baseball team picked up an 10-4 win over Army West Point Sunday afternoon during a pivotal early Patriot League series at Doubleday Field.

Holy Cross improves to 6-12, 2-1 PL on the year while Army drops to 7-10, 1-2 PL. The Crusaders have won seven of the last 10 meetings against the Black Knights.

As they've done all year, the Crusaders rallied in the late innings scoring three runs in the eighth and three in the ninth. Junior John LaFleur gave his squad the lead with a sacrifice bunt in the eighth before Sophomore Nick Spaner and senior CJ Egrie hit RBI singles.

Spaner finished the game going 3-for-4 with an RBI, two runs scored, a walk and a stolen base. Egrie was 2-for-4 with three RBI, two walks, a run scored and a stolen base. Junior Ryan Grundy went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and a run scored.

STARTING ON THE MOUND:

• Sophomore Derek Volz: (ND), 3.0 innings pitched, two hits allowed, three runs – one earned, two walks, five strikeouts
• Trey Ates: (ND), 4.0 innings pitched, four hits allowed, four runs – three earned, three walks, two strikeouts

OUT OF THE BULLPEN:

• Freshman Henry Harding: (W, 2-0), 1.0 innings pitched, one hit allowed, zero runs allowed, two walks, two strikeouts
• Robbie Penswick: (L, 1-4), 2.1 innings pitched, three hits allowed, three earned runs, one walk, one strikeout

STEPPING TO THE PLATE:

• Freshman Owen Stelzer: 1-for-3, run scored, walk, stolen base
• Junior Braden Connors: 1-for-6, two RBI
• John LaFleur: 0-for-3, run scored, RBI, walk SAC

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• A double and a sacrifice fly in the first put Army in the lead 3-0.
• Holy Cross got on the board in the third when Connors recorded an RBI groundout.
• Egrie and Connors singled in the fifth to plate runs while junior Van Coughlin had an RBI groundout to regain the lead at 4-3.
• An Army RBI single in the seventh leveled the score at 4-4.
• A sacrifice bunt in the eighth from LaFleur pushed Holy Cross back into the lead at 5-4. Spaner expanded the lead via an RBI single and Egrie tacked on with another base knock for the 7-4 margin.
• Three in the ninth that included a Grundy two bagger opened the game up.

DUE UP:

• Holy Cross is back in action on Tuesday, March 17 at Bryant.
• First pitch is set for 3 p.m.

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