Rally Falls Short for Softball in Elimination Game

Friday, May 8

Bethlehem, Pa.

TBA

Army West Point

23-27-1

Colgate

17-20

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Army West Point	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	10	0
Colgate Raiders	0	0	2	0	2	0	X	4	4	2

Rally Falls Short for Softball in Elimination Game

May 08, 2015 | Softball

Box Score

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Army West Point softball team's late inning rallies fell short as the No. 4 Black Knights suffered a 4-2 loss to No. 3 Colgate in a Patriot League Tournament elimination game at Leadership Park Friday afternoon.

The Black Knights (23-27-1) rallied with a pair of runs in the sixth inning in fighting back on four hits. Xiomara Perez singled home Caroline Smith (3-for-4), who had a hit and moved to third on Kristen McPeek's double, for the first run.

Hailey Megge's single knocked in McPeek as the Black Knights drew to 4-2 along with chasing starter Brigit Ieuter (10-6). Reliever Megan Carnase took over with runners at first and second and the go-ahead at the plate. Carnase nipped Army's comeback bid on an infield popup, then had to work her way out of trouble in the top of the seventh.

With one out and a runner at first base (Alee Rashenskas, fielder's choice), Carnase yielded a double to Emily Gray, a Patriot League first team selection, to find herself with the tying runs on base and the go-ahead at the plate.

But Army West Point ran out its comeback magic when Carnase retired the side on back-to-back groundouts in picking up her second save along with sending Colgate into the final game of the day in taking on No. 2 Bucknell with the winner advancing to Saturday's championship finals.

Smith limited Colgate to just four hits and the Raiders had just one hit in each of its scoring innings. Smith paced the Black Knights' offensively going 3-for-4 with a run scored.

Colgate opened the scoring in the bottom of the third in taking a 2-0 lead. Katie Bushee's fielder's choice scored Alex Gadiano for the first run, and Marisa Dowling's RBI single chased home the second before Smith got out on a groundout in stranding runners at first and second.

Army West Point had a chance in the fourth after leading off with back-to-back singles by Smith and McPeek, but Ieuter escaped by retiring the next three batters.
Mariel Schaefer's two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth padded Colgate's lead to 4-0 and it proved to be the winning margin after smacking the first home run at the 2015 Patriot League Tournament at Leadership Park.

Smith, retired the last four batters she faced as she struck out four, issuing just one walk, along with yielding four hits.

The Black Knights threatened with runners in scoring position in all but one inning. Ieuter was touched for nine hits, including four in the sixth inning.
In the top of the second, Smith led off with a single and moved to second when McPeek reached on an error. Both moved up a base on Alex Gaff's sacrifice bunt, but a strikeout and flyout ended the Black Knights' threat.

With the game scoreless after two innings, Gladys Esparza-Gallegos ripped a one-out double to left field in the top of the third, but was called out on runner's interference call heading to third base on the next play.

Smith (three) and McPeek (two) had multiple hits as Army West Point collected 10 off the two pitchers.

"Certainly any end to a season is very emotional after all the time and effort that's been put in for the duration of the year," said Army head coach Michelle DePolo. "This particular game is a little more challenging since we played well but just couldn't string together the runs we needed.

"Our team is very young all around. We learned a lot about one another this year individually and as a unit. Half our returners are going to be upperclassmen, which is a shape we haven't had in a while and generally when our team has more success.

Alex (Gantz and Alyssa (Strobehn) were huge contributors to this program, both on and off the field, and have helped pave the road in the direction we're going," continued DePlo.

"Alex brought a wave of Southern California players in behind her and showed what the developmental process is like here. We are very fortunate that we will have Alyssa returning in a leadership role with the team next year, despite her playing days being over. Her positive attitude, work ethic and selflessness are a foundation for this program."

DIAMOND NOTES: Sixth straight year Army West Point earned a bit to the tournament ... the Black Knights are a young team with six field players underclassmen with no upperclassmen on its pitching staff ... there were only two upperclassmen in the lineup with co-captains Kasey McCravey at third base and Alex Gaff at first ... McCravey heads into her senior year ranked among Army's career leaders in batting average, hits, RBI, doubles, home runs, walks and stolen bases.