Page’s Grand Slam Evens Series with Holy Cross

Saturday, April 16

Worcester, MA

4:30 PM

Army West Point

13-22, 4-6

Holy Cross

16-21, 6-4

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

Page’s Grand Slam Evens Series with Holy Cross

April 16, 2016 | Baseball

Box Score

WORCESTER, Mass. – With the program's first grand slam since 2012, senior Jacob Page lifted Army West Point baseball to a 6-1 victory in game two to earn a split in the series-opening doubleheader on Saturday.

"We had a great pitching performance from Jeremy," said head coach Matt Reid. "We had some chances early with runners in scoring position, but we didn't break through until late. Our guys grinded and stayed focused throughout. It was a good team win. We need more of this same effort tomorrow against a very good Holy Cross team."

The game was a pitching exposition as the top of the ninth was the only time either side recorded more than one hit in an inning. Jeremy Mortensen provided a quality start for the Black Knights (13-22, 4-6 PL), tossing 6.2 innings of five-hit ball. The sophomore southpaw allowed one earned run while allowing one walk and striking out six. The Holy Cross (16-21, 6=4 PL) starter, Phil Reese, went five strong innings as he held Army off the board while scattering three hits and a walk.

Through the first four innings, each side mounted three hits, but were unable to have a baserunner reach third. In the fifth, Josh White led off with by being hit by a pitch before David Monge singled him within 90 feet of breaking the scoreless draw two batters later. Army would come away from the inning with nothing to show for it, however, as a strikeout and a groundout ended the threat.

Three walks issued to Jon Rosoff, Stu Schley and Brock Davidson by the Crusaders' reliever Joe Cravero set the stage for Page to break the game wide open with a blast over the left field wall with two outs. Holy Cross, who leads the Patriot League in home runs as a team, had Anthony Critelli, respond with a one-out homer of his own. Critelli's eighth home run of the season increased his lead as the league-leader in long balls.

Freshman Jacob Carte would replace Mortensen in the seventh and shut the door with a strikeout before a spotless eighth.

The scoring remained stagnant until the top of the ninth where Army recorded the only multi-hit inning of the game. After a one-out single by Trey Martin forced Cravero out of the game, a single back through the box by Rosoff welcomed Danny Barlok to the game. A four-pitch walk by John McCarthy loaded the bases for Schley who plated Martin with a single to right. Davidson recorded his third RBI of the day with a sacrifice fly in the following at-bat allowing Rosoff to score the sixth run of the game.

Justin French would come in for the final frame, setting the Crusaders down in order to seal the victory.

The Black Knights will conclude their weekend series with Holy Cross tomorrow with game one scheduled to start at 1 p.m.

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

GAME NOTES
Army split its last four doubleheaders … all four times the Black Knights have won game two … Jeremy Mortensen's fourth 6+ strikeout performance … Jacob Page's third home run of the season with a grand slam in the sixth inning … ties for the team lead in homers … Last grand slam was hit by Cody Murtle on March 10, 2012 against Sacred Heart … Jon Rosoff, Stu Schley and David Monge recorded multi-hit games.