Softball Sweeps Doubleheader From Albany

Tuesday, April 21

West Point, N.Y.

3:30 PM

Army West Point

20-22-1

Albany

23-12

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Albany Great Danes	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	6	4
Army West Point	0	0	0	8	0	0	X	8	8	1

Softball Sweeps Doubleheader From Albany

April 21, 2015 | Softball

Box Score

April 21, 2015

Box Score

WEST POINT, N.Y. - Army West Point exploded for eight runs in the top of the bottom inning in rallying from a 2-0 deficit for an 8-3 win in game one, and Kasey McCravey went 2-for-5 with five RBI as the Black Knights outlasted Albany, 5-4, in the nightcap in sweeping a non-league softball doubleheader Tuesday afternoon at the Army Softball Complex.

Army West Point (21-22-1) batted around in the fourth inning in the opener, then jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the nightcap. The Black Knights tacked on a pair of runs in the sixth, then nipped the Great Danes' rally on a play at home plate in the top of the seventh to complete the sweep.

Trailing Albany 2-0 in the first inning of the opener following back-to-back solo home runs by Kelly Costello and Maggie Cocks, the Black Knights exploded for eight runs on six hits and capitalized on three errors in the fourth inning to break open the game in pulling out to an 8-2 lead.

Alex Gaff's bases-loaded walk produced the first run, Hailey Megge's RBI single tied the game 2-2 with the go-ahead run scoring on pinch hitter Taylor Gaff's sacrifice fly for the second out of the game. Gladys Esparza-Gallegos' bases-loaded walk scored a run along with RBI singles by Alee Rashenskas and Emily Gray. A pair of errors chased home two others.

Albany reliever Nicole Parks retired the Black Knights in order in the fifth and sixth innings, but the damage had been done as the Great Danes trailed 8-2.

Kristen West (7-8), who came on in the first inning, yielded just four hits and one run over 6.2 innings in picking up the win.

The sophomore hurler kept the Great Danes off the scoreboard over the first four frames, only once allowing a runner into scoring position, before being touched for a run in the top of the sixth on Elizabeth Snow's leadoff homer. West then retired six of the next seven batters with the lone runner reaching on an error in the sixth in securing the victory. All three Albany runs scored on solo homers.

Army West Point collected eight hits with Rashenskas going 3-for-3 with an RBI and run scored. Megge was 2-for-3 with a RBI and run scored.

McCravey drove in all five runs in the nightcap starting with a three-run homer, her eighth of the season, in the third inning in staking Caroline Smith to a 3-0 lead. McCravey knocked in Smith (2-for-3), who led off with a single, and Xiomara Perez, who drew a walk, on a two-out home run over the left field fence.

After Albany pushed across a run in the top of the fourth in drawing to 3-1, Army West Point left bases loaded in the bottom of that inning. Great Dane pitcher Devin Durando retired the host school in order in the fifth before the Black Knights extended their lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the sixth on McCravey's two-run single up the middle chasing home pinch runners Karena Gonzalez and Sam Hartman. Gonzalez took over from Smith, who singled, and Hartman ran for Alex Gaff who drew a walk.

Albany rallied in the top of the seventh collecting five of its nine hits off Smith (11-10) for a pair of runs drawing to 5-4. Tyler McKinney's throw from center field to Perez at home plate mowed down pinch runner Jess Tate who tried to score from second base on Marlin Solano's hit up the middle. Tate ran for Elizabeth Snow, who knocked in a pair of runs on a two-out double to right center field.

Smith and McCravey each had two hits in the nightcap. Rashenskas, who had three hits in the opener and one in the nightcap, batted .667 (4-for-6), scored a run and drove in another. Smith (2-for-3) also batted .667 followed by McCravey .429 (3-for-7) with five RBI and two runs scored. Megge was next at .333(2-for-6) with an RBI and run scored.

The Black Knights return to Patriot League action this weekend visiting conference leader Lehigh in Army West Point's regular-season league finale.