Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
Bucknell
Army Sweeps Bucknell To Clinch Patriot League Tournament Berth
May 01, 2011 | Softball
Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
WEST POINT, N.Y. - Freshman right-hander Haley Pypes threw a no-hitter in the first game and a three-hitter in the nightcap, along with helping her own cause going 4-for-5 with two runs batted in and two runs scored, as Army swept Bucknell to clinch the final fourth berth to the Patriot League Softball Tournament. The Black Knights defeated the Bison 3-0 and 6-1 to improve to 26-22 and 8-10 in the league.
While Army put a lock on a berth to the tournament, Colgate assured itself of hosting the 2011 championships following its sweep of Lafayette to capture the regular-season title. The Raiders were taxed in both wins, pulling out 1-0 and 4-3 decisions to stand 15-2 in the conference and 24-18 overall. The tournament will be held May 12-14 in Hamilton, N.Y., by top-seeded Colgate. Lehigh (12-5) is second in the standings followed by Holy Cross (10-8) and Army (8-10).
Pypes enjoyed the most dominant performance of her collegiate career. She struck out 14 batters, equaling her career high with seven strikeouts in both games, yielded just three hits and one run over 14 innings in the circle to boost her wins total to 14 in moving into seventh place on Army's top 10 single-season list. She also became the Black Knights' all-time single-season leader in home runs with her 10th round tripper in the opener.
"I felt very confident and I have a lot of confident in my defense," said Pypes following the doubleheader. "I think that was the biggest factor because it allowed me to go out there and throw. Right now I am very excited about going to the Patriot League Tournament."
Army staked Pypes to a quick 1-0 lead In the first game of the series on Alexis AuBuchon's two-out RBI triple (her first of the season and career third) in delivering April Ortenzo, who was hit by a pitch, in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs in the second inning, Pypes took a 2-1 offering from Alex MacLean, last year's league top rookie, and blasted the ball over the fence in center field for an insurance run and 2-0 lead in her lone hit of the game.
MacLean (7-18) retired 11 straight batters before yielding back-to-back hits and a run in the top of the seventh. Ortenzo ripped a one-out single to the gap in left center field and scored on Alex Reynolds' RBI double, who was thrown out trying to stretch it to a triple, for a 3-0 lead. MacLean, who went the distance on a four-hitter and struck out three, issued her lone ball of the game to the next batter before getting out a flyout to center field.
Pypes, who stranded seven Bison runners, did not let Bucknell into scoring position over the final four frames and five overall. After issuing a pair of walks in the first and third innings, Pypes worked her way out of both jams on strikeouts looking and swinging, respectively. The freshman hurler recorded the third out in the first four innings on strikeouts.
Needing just one more win over Bucknell to have its ticket punched for the tournament, Army scored a run in the third, three in the fourth and two more in the fifth to stake Pypes to a comfortable 6-0 lead. The Army hurler again helped her own cause gong 3-for-3 with an RBI and run scored.
Freshman Amanda Nguyen opened the scoring in the third after leading off with a single. She stole second base, moved to third on a fielder's choice and crossed on Reynolds groundout to the pitcher. Nguyen, who was 2-for-4, smacked a two-run triple to right center field in the fourth inning to drive in Pypes and Reanna Johnson, who singled. Rachael Duval, who led off the inning with a single and moved into scoring position on a hit to the gap in left field by Pypes, scored the first run on Johnson's single up the middle as Army collected four of its 10 hits in that frame off Bridget Gates (6-17).
The Black Knights closed out the scoring with a pair of runs on three straight hits in the fifth with Duval, who doubled, scoring on Pypes' two-bagger to left field for the first run. Designated player Marina Northup's sacrifice fly to center field delivered Meghan McGowan, who singled and moved to third on the second double in that frame.
After throwing the no-hit gem in the first game, Pypes was touched for her first hit in eight innings after yielding a base hit to Lauren Fry with two outs in the top of the first inning. The Army hurler, who yielding just two walks and struck out seven batters in the nightcap along with three hits, got into a jam on a hit batsman and walk with no outs in the top of the second. She ended that threat on a force at third followed by back-to-back strikeouts, the first looking. Pypes found herself in a similar jam in the third following a single and walk, and again nipped the rally on strikeouts.
The freshman from Kansas City, Mo., did not allow Bucknell into scoring position over the fourth, fifth and sixth innings before yielding a leadoff solo blast to Elyse Colmenero in the top of the seventh before retiring the side with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout.
Army collected 14 hits in the twinbill with Pypes going 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored for a 1.600 slugging percentage. McGowan, Duval and Nguyen each collected a pair of hits with Duval scoring twice and Nguyen driving in a pair of runs and scoring another. In the circle, Pypes posted a 0.50 earned run average.
The Black Knights conclude their four-game series with a doubleheader on Senior Day Sunday afternoon with first pitch at 1 p.m. Army will honor its two seniors, Angela Deger and Jessica Garcia, prior to the start of the twinbill.
Duval, who scored twice from second base, is excited about Army earning its second straight tournament bid in her three years on the team. "It is always extremely satisfying to accomplish a goal (earning a berth) while the next step, winning the Patriot League Tournament, has been our goal the whole season," noted the Army catcher. "Last year we won the regular season title, which was fantastic, but we didn't come through at tournament time. That has been our target this year and the fact that we are going to get an opportunity to do that is very rewarding."
Head coach Michelle DePolo talked about her plan heading into the doubleheader. "We wanted to come in, jump on Bucknell early and take care of business right away and not leave any doubt in anyone's mind. That was the game plan and it was well executed.
"I was also very happy for the great job that Haley (Pypes) did. She is an absolute workhorse in practice and in games, and is always looking to improve. After practice yesterday she spent over an hour watching film on herself batting and pitching. She has the desire to learn so she earns everything she deserves. She has also done a great job with the mental aspect of the game, but her priority is what is best for the team.
"We have said all year to get ahead and stay ahead in the count, but she is learning how to come back once she gets behind. We have worked with her all year teaching her how to come back. But our biggest concern was that she was hit in the wrist with a batted ball at practice on Thursday, and we were worried both her pitching and batting. It is a credit to how hard she worked and how disciplined she is. Though she was in pain Friday, she came back, watched film and has her priorities in the right spot."
DIAMOND NOTES: Freshman Amanda Nguyen's team-high 62 hits is tied for first place on Army's single-season chart ... last week she became the school's single-season leader in stolen bases, now at 25, which is two shy of breaking into the top 10 career chart, while her 38 runs are to off of season leader Jackie Patten (40 set in 1991) ... teammate Haley Pypes is the all-time season leader in home runs (10), which ranks 10th on the career chart, while her 14 wins as a pitcher is tied for seventh place in the season records ... Pypes and Shawna Bleyl have appeared in 28 games, two shy of 10th place ... Rachael Duval's 16 home runs lists third all-time and is one away from second place, while classmate Alexis AuBuchon lists third in doubles with 40.
