Baseball Scores Four in Ninth, Completes Comeback

Thursday, March 17

Clearwater, FL

2 PM

Army West Point

7-9

Harvard

4-6

Harvard

Army West Point

Baseball Scores Four in Ninth, Completes Comeback

March 17, 2016 | Baseball

Box Score

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Army West Point baseball team erased a three-run deficit in the final inning to complete its first come-from-behind victory of the 2016 campaign, 13-12, over the Harvard Crimson from Jack Russell Stadium on Thursday afternoon.

"We're really proud of the effort today from everybody," said head coach Matt Reid. "The offensive effort was relentless because we kept chipping away and the guys stayed locked in every inning. Even though we were down, we were never out. They kept fighting back, and that's who they are. Some absolute clutch hitting today."

After trailing by as much as five runs at one point, the Black Knights (7-9) battled at the plate and producing when they reached base. Five batters in Army's lineup recorded multiple hits. The offensive effort was led by sophomore left fielder John McCarthy, who was three-for-four at the dish with a couple walks, two runs scored and three runs batted in.

Stu Schley played the role of hero today, with his lone hit coming in the form of a walk-off RBI single to right.

"It was just a consistent effort," Reid added. "It started with a great batting practice and a really good pregame. It's good to see the guys working hard and continuing to consistently do those things game in and game out. From a team approach, we kept getting after it and grinding. We did whatever we needed to do to score runs."

From the get go, you could tell this was going to be a high scoring affair. The two sides totaled seven runs in the first inning, with the Crimson (4-9) having the one-run edge.
The Black Knights tied things up in the bottom of the second after holding Harvard off the board in the top half of the inning on a sac fly to right by Justin Reece.

Each side was set down in order in the third inning, the only time either side only sent three batters to the plate.

Harvard would retake the lead the following inning, thanks to a bases-clearing double to left by John Fallon with the bases loaded. Reliever Patrick Gardner was able to wiggle his way out of trouble as the next batter lined into a twin-killer, 3-6. The Crimson would repeat that effort in the fifth as well, putting up consecutive three-run innings.

Army responded, as it seems they have done the entire trip after surrendering runs on defense, plating five from the fourth through the seventh. In that stretch, the Black Knights' leadoff hitter reached in every inning with four of them coming by way of the walk, cutting the lead to 10-9.

Keegan Vega worked a leadoff walk after running the count full in the fourth, and scored on a two-base error that benefitted Kris Lindner. In the fifth, the Black Knights posted their first multi-run inning since the opening frame, scoring twice. Reigning Patriot League Rookie of the Week Josh White brought in McCarthy, who reached on a leadoff walk, with his third double of the season. Vega followed, creating back-to-back RBI hits for Army. Schley brought in the lone Army run of the sixth on a groundout to second, and David Monge did the same thing the following inning.

Harvard's two-run inning in the eighth seemed to put the game too far out of reach, but Army never got the message. Following Mike Gagliardi's first appearance in an Army uniform, Vega and pinch-hitter Alex Dickerson started the rally with a pair of singles up the middle. Monge loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch before Lindner legged out an RBI single on a dribbler to the second baseman. Reece smashed a scorcher that was snagged by the first baseman for the first out of the inning, but a two-run single by McCarthy knotted things up. Schley was the next batter, scoring Lindner to end the game.

"When Reece lined out to the first baseman, the base runners did a great job checking back and not getting doubled-up," commented Reid. "That allowed Johnny and Stu to come up with their base hits. They're going to come out tomorrow getting after it, and we've got to match their intensity."

The Black Knights return to Jack Russell Stadium for a doubleheader against Harvard tomorrow, March 18, with game one scheduled to start at 11 a.m.

For more information on Army West Point baseball, visit GoArmyWestPoint.com and follow @ArmyWP_Baseball on twitter.

GAME NOTES: Army has double-digit hits in four-straight games … recorded season-highs in hits (15) and runs (13) … first five-run comeback since March 14, 2013 (13-7 against Miami (OH)) … first win when committing four errors since March 22, 2014 (6-4 opposite Harvard at Yankees Complex) … Kris Lindner was hit by a pitch for the 11^th time this season … Lindner leads the nation in hit by pitches and hit by pitches per game (.67) … tied for ninth in runs per game (1.44) and 12^th in runs scored (23) … John McCarthy increased career-best hit streak to 12 games … recorded seventh multi-RBI game of 2016 … third time with three RBIs.