Softball Downs Lehigh, Advances to Championship

Saturday, May 14

Bethlehem, PA

11:45 PM

Army West Point

39-19

No. 1 Lehigh

36-16

Army

Lehigh

Softball Downs Lehigh, Advances to Championship

May 14, 2016 | Softball

Box Score

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – After defeating Bucknell just 30 minutes prior to the game, the Army West Point softball team downed No. 1 Lehigh 3-1 Saturday afternoon to come out of the elimination bracket and advance to Sunday's championship. Senior first basemen Kasey McCravey gave the Black Knights their go-ahead run in spectacular leaping fashion.

Army improved to 39-19 with today's pair of victories to mark the winningest season in program history. The most wins prior to the 2016 season was 37 in 2012 when the team went 37-21.

The Black Knights scored in the top of the second off a two-out error by the Mountain Hawks (36-16). Army's Kristen McPeek got on base off the only hit of the inning and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Gladys Esparza-Gallegos. Maddie Kim popped a ball high into the air and as the Lehigh center fielder came in for the routine catch, the ball fell out of her glove to allow McPeek to score an unearned run to give the Cadets the early 1-0 lead.

In the top of the third, Kasey McCravey led-off with a single to left center field. Mae Wadyka then recorded a sacrifice bunt to push McCravey to scoring position. Alee Rashenskas laced an RBI single up the middle to send McCravey home. McCravey then proved why she was Player of the Year worthy as she leapt over the awaiting catcher and tagged the base on the way back down. This spectacular play pushed the Black Knights ahead 2-0 in the third.

Lehigh got out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the fourth to keep Army at bay with its 2-0 lead. The Mountain Hawks loaded the bases themselves and scored on a wild pitch to bring the game within one. Kim caught a popup in foul territory to give Army two outs before Poirier strikes out Lehigh's batter looking.

Neither team converted runs in the fifth inning as Army got out of the bottom of the fifth with a double play from Rashenskas to Gray to get the Black Knights out of the inning unscathed. In the top of the sixth, Caroline Smith striped one down the left side to lead the Cadets off with a hit. Kim advanced to first off an error by the second basemen. Ashley Yoo loaded the bases with no outs with a single laced up the middle.

Wadyka then singled to second base and outran the throw to also record an RBI on the play as Smith went home to pad Army's lead to 3-1. Then for Lehigh's home at-bat, Esparza made a diving catch to spark a three up, three down inning for the Black Knights.

Esparza was walked in the top of the seventh before Smith reached after being hit by a pitch. Kim knocked one down the left field line, but Esparza was out on the play, but the Mountain Hawks closed-out the inning without another run against them.

The Black Knights did not give Lehigh a chance to score in the seventh inning after retiring another three-straight to clinch their second victory of the day and to advance to the championship where they will take on unbeaten No. 3 Boston University. Poirier pitched her second complete game of the day to improve to 11-5 from the circle with another three strikeouts.

No. 2 Army will now face No. 1 Boston U. at 10:05 a.m. from Leadership Park for the championship.

ARMY WEST POINT AT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE TOURNAMENT
• Army is 15-7 in tournament openers (did not qualify in 2009, 1999, 1998)

• The team earned a bye in 2000.

• Reached the tournament finals 12 times, to include 2012 and 2013 ... prior to that was 2006

• Has captured five Patriot League titles - 1991, 1992, 2000, 2002 and 2013, twice as the second seed in the tournament

• Earned three NCAA Regional bids (2000, 2002, 2013)

For up-to-date information about Army softball, please follow @ArmyWP_Softball on Twitter and Instagram.

HOW TO FOLLOW (ALL GAMES)
CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL • http://www.patriotleague.org/ot/championships/w-softbl-16-champs.html
VIDEO • http://campusinsiders.com/network/patriot_league/live
LIVE RESULTS • http://sidearmstats.com/lehigh/softball/
NOTES • https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/goarmywestpoint.com/documents/2016/5/11/SB_Flipcard_PL_Tournament.pdf