Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
Navy
Navy Defeats Army, 5-3, To Capture PL Championship
May 24, 2011 | Baseball
Box Score
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Jeff Bland went 2-for-4 and scored a run during Navy's three-run sixth inning as the Midshipmen overcame an early 3-0 deficit to defeat Army, 5-3, in the third and deciding game of the Patriot League Championship Series Tuesday afternoon at Max Bishop Stadium.
Top-seeded Navy (33-23-1) wins its first Patriot League title since 2002 and advances to the NCAA Regionals. Second-seeded Army, meanwhile, sees its 2011 campaign come to an end with a 22-26 record.
"I thought it was a well-played ballgame," said Army head coach Joe Sottolano. "I didn't think we came up with the key hits when we needed them, and that prevented us from extending our early lead. We didn't play as well defensively as we're capable of, and that hurt us today as well. I don't take anything away from Navy, though. They played hard, remained patient and came away with some runs late in the game.
"I'm proud of our club; I thought we battled hard today," added Sottolano. "Obviously, we came up a little bit shy of where we wanted to be, but I don't have any regrets about how we went about our business."
Ben Koenigsfeld went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles to pace Army at the plate. J.T. Watkins and Brent Peterson each collected two hits apiece for the Black Knights, who outhit the Midshipmen 11-7 in the contest.
Army took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning as the Black Knights scored a pair of runs on three hits. With one out, Steve May singled sharply up the middle to give Army its first base runner. May then advanced to second base on Watkins' ground out and scored on Peterson's RBI single to center field. Peterson, who moved to second base on the play, scored on Cody Murtle RBI double, which was laced down the left field line.
Army extended its lead to 3-0 in the top of the third inning as Koenigsfeld and Clint Moore hit back-to-back doubles to deep center field.
Navy began its comeback in the bottom of the third inning as the Midshipmen loaded the bases with no outs and scored a run on Alex Azor's double play groundball. Army starter Nick Dignacco struck out Dave Milanes looking to end the threat and strand a runner on third base.
Navy rallied to take a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning as the Midshipmen scored three runs on two hits and one Army error. Milanes and Bland hit consecutive singles and Greg Dupell walked to load the bases with one out. Nick Driscoll then hit a groundball up the middle that Moore tracked down in shallow center field, but had no play as Milanes scored and everyone else moved up a base. Andrew Hahn drove in the game-tying run on a fielder's choice grounder to second base, sending Bland to the plate. Moore, who was attempting to complete an inning-ending double play, threw wide to first and allowed Dupell to score the go-ahead run.
Navy tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh as Dylan Wheeler was hit by a pitch and scored all the way from first base when Azor lofted a double down the right field line.
Army threatened in both the eighth and ninth innings, but the Black Knights stranded the tying runs on base in both frames. Navy closer Joel Rinehart struck out Murtle looking to end the eighth inning with runners on second and third. Rinehart then fanned Joey Henshaw swinging to end the game with the tying runs at first and second.
Dignacco gave up just one unearned run on four hits in 4.1 innings of work. He struck out three and only allowed one walk. Gunnar Carroll (3-2) was saddled with the loss after yielding four runs (three earned) on three hits in two innings. Koenigsfeld tossed 1.2 innings of perfect relief.
Preston Gainey (2-0) earned the victory for Navy after pitching three innings of scoreless relief. Rinehart, who pitched the Midshipmen out of trouble in the final two frames, picked up his sixth save of the season. The Navy closer allowed just one hit and struck out three.
It marked the final game for David Darnell, Henshaw, Koenigsfeld, May, Moore and Shaun Wixted, who are now second lieutenants and will begin their Army careers immediately. The heralded group helped Army pile up an astounding 111 wins, three Patriot League regular-season titles and one conference tournament championship during the past four years.
"This group of seniors accomplished a great deal during their four years in terms of team achievements and individual accolades," said Sottolano. "They've helped our program maintain its winning culture, and that will carry on for years to come."
Moore leaves the program as Army's all-time leader in home runs (35), doubles (51), RBI (184), runs scored (174), total bases (413), slugging percentage (.589) and multiple-RBI games (54), while his 233 career base hits rank second all-time at the Academy. Koenigsfeld ranks among Army's all-time top 10 in home runs (18), strikeouts (180), wins (18) and saves (10). Henshaw lists among the Black Knights' all-time greats in home runs (23), RBI (138), base hits (188), and batting average (.349).
Game Notes: Army's all-time record versus Navy falls to 97-106 ... Army is now 4-4 all-time versus Navy in the Patriot League Tournament ... Army turned double plays in each of the first three innings ... Army left 10 runners on base, while Navy stranded five ... Ben Koenigsfeld equaled his career high with two doubles ... Koenigsfeld, Clint Moore and Joey Henshaw represented the Black Knights on the Patriot League all-tournament team ... Army wore its alternate black jerseys and gray pants with black caps for today's championship game.
