Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
Sacred Heart
Army Rallies Past Sacred Heart, 5-2
March 11, 2012 | Baseball
March 11, 2012
TAMPA, Fla. - J.T. Watkins went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBI, and Zach Price was 3-for-4 with two runs scored as the Army baseball team defeated Sacred Heart, 5-2, on Sunday afternoon at the New York Yankees Spring Training Facility.
Watkins' two-run double during Army's three-run fifth inning helped the Black Knights (8-4) rally for a 4-2 lead and they never looked back. Daniel Cortes collected two hits, scored a run and delivered an RBI to help Army secure a three-game sweep of the Pioneers (1-10).
Andrew Flaherty (1-0) pitched three scoreless innings of relief to pick up his first career victory. The freshman righty allowed just three hits and struck out two during his outing. He retired the final five batters he faced.
Manny Fernandez worked a perfect eighth inning, and Kevin McKague retired the side in order in the ninth to earn the save. Flaherty, Fernandez and McKague combined to retire 11 straight Sacred Heart batters to end the game.
It marked the first pitching appearance in nearly a full calendar year for McKague, who ranks second on Army's all-time saves list.
"I definitely had the adrenalin going, but I had a really intense focus," said McKague. "I knew what I had to do; the main thing was just to locate and throw strikes. It felt really good to get back out there. As soon as I threw strike one to the first batter, I knew that (being on the mound) is where I belong."
Army jumped on top of Sacred Heart 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning. Price doubled down the left field line leading off the frame, and he moved to third base on Cortes' single to center field. Price then scored the game's first run as he scampered home on McKague's double play groundball.
Sacred Heart took its first lead of the three-game series in the top of the second inning as the Pioneers pushed across a pair of unearned runs against Army starting pitcher Nick Dignacco. Hunter Phillips and Kenny Byran delivered consecutive two-out RBI singles to cap the rally, which was aided by a Black Knight error.
Army reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring three runs on four hits to assume a 4-2 advantage. Dakari Cooke ignited the uprising with a single into left-center field. He advanced all the way to third base when Price singled to center field on a hit-and-run. Cortes followed with an RBI single to plate Cooke with the tying run. After McKague flew out to right field, Watkins blasted a two-run double deep into the gap in left-center to score both Price and Cortes.
Army tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning to extend its lead to 5-2. Watkins led off the frame with his second double of the game, ripping a line drive down the right field line. He moved to third base on Mark McCants' sacrifice bunt and score when Earls smacked an RBI single through the left side of the infield.
Nick Leiningen (0-1) took the loss for the Pioneers as the lefty allowed four runs on seven hits in five innings. Phillips and Conor McEvoy led the Sacred Heart offense with two hits apiece.
Army has won its first three games in Florida, and that fact is not lost on McKague.
"It feels great," said McKague of Army's fast start to the spring break trip. "We are winning ballgames in different ways, and that is great to do. Winning is a learning process, and we're figuring it out as we go. We're looking really good right now."
Army will use Monday to train at the New York Yankees Spring Training Facility. The Black Knights return to competition on Tuesday, March 12, when they travel to Auburndale, Fla., to face Nebraka-Omaha. The game, which will be played at Lake Myrtle Park, is slated to begin at 6 p.m.
Game Notes: Army improves to 11-1 all-time versus Sacred Heart ... the Black Knights wore their white pinstripe uniforms with black caps today ... J.T. Watkins matched his career high with two doubles ... Kevin McKague recorded his 23rd career save ... he is just four saves shy of matching Milan Dinga's Academy record ... Zach Price leads Army with six multiple-hit games ... Alex Jensen has reached base in 11 straight games.
