Baseball Drops Doubleheader to Holy Cross

Sunday, April 19

West Point, N.Y.

4:00 PM

Army West Point

18-20, 5-11

Holy Cross

20-20, 11-5

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Holy Cross	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	6	1
Army West Point	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0

Baseball Drops Doubleheader to Holy Cross

April 19, 2015 | Baseball

Box Score

April 19, 2015

Box Score | Box Score (PDF)

WEST POINT, N.Y. - For the second straight game Holy Cross pitching frustrated the Army West Point baseball team as Brendan King tossed seven scoreless innings and Sean Gustin sealed the 1-0 win in game two of Sunday's doubleheader at Johnson Stadium at Doubleday Field. The Crusaders swept the twinbill after taking game one 3-0.

The loss dropped Army West Point to 5-11 in the Patriot League and 18-20 overall, while Holy Cross moved into first place in the conference standings at 11-5 and 20-20 on the year.

"We have to get back to work to prepare for our midweek game against NYIT and then next weekend against Navy," head coach Matt Reid said.

King scattered four hits over his seven innings to move to 3-0 on the year. The right-hander hurler fanned four and walked three.

Starting pitcher Garrison Franklin came out firing and struck out the first three Holy Cross batters to open the game. The Black Knights loaded the bases with walks by Jon Rosoff and Ben Smith, surrounding a single by Harold Earls, to begin the bottom of the first. The rally was halted by King when Mark McCants popped up on the infield, a groundout by Alex Jensen to third cut down the lead runner at the plate and then Jacob Page struck out swinging.

The game remained scoreless through five full innings after King escaped a two-on one-out jam by inducing a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. The Black Knights had three hits at that point, while Franklin limited Holy Cross to two knocks midway through the contest.

A one-out double ripped just inside the left field line by Nick Lovullo had Holy Cross in business with the meat of its order due up in the sixth, but he was caught stealing and Franklin got Evan Ochello swinging to end the inning.

The Black Knights put together a two-out rally when Jensen was hit by a pitch and Page roped an opposite field single into right, but Ryan Levenhagen was retired on a fly ball down the left field line.

Holy Cross put runners on the corners with a two-out bloop single into right field off the bat of Bill Schlich. Army West Point dipped into the bullpen for the first time, going to right-hander Matt Ball to face designated-hitter Connor Perry. The Cruasders' left-handed hitter fell behind 0-2, but the runner at third base was picked off 1-4-2 to eliminate the threat. Franklin's line read 6.2 innings of shutout ball, with five hits, a career-high seven strikeouts and no walks.

"I'm really proud of Garrison Franklin, Jeremy Mortensen in the first game, and all of our pitchers threw very well today," Reid added. "But, it is a team game and we have to come up with some timely hitting. When you are pitching well, you feel good about yourself and now we just have to get back on track with our hitting. We have guys who can do it and we have to work hard in practice this week."

Ball issued a leadoff walk to Perry after the Black Knights went quietly in the seventh and he was replaced by a pinch runner Bobby Pease. After a sacrifice bunt, Bobby Indeglia sent a single back through the box that scored Pease from second as Holy Cross took a 1-0 lead on the one-out RBI. Ball walked Luvollo to bring Julian Larimer into the game with runners at first and second and one out. The righty struck out Ocello and Jack St. Clair grounded out to end the frame.

King was lifted after throwing seven innings of shutout ball as Gustin entered the contest. He picked up his fourth save with a 1-2-3 eighth inning and then stranded Levehagen at second base after his two-out double.

Army West Point returns continues the homestand on Wednesday afternoon when it hosts NYIT. First pitch from Johnson Stadium at Doubleday Field is slated for 3:30 p.m.