Dickerson Leads Black Knights To First Win

Sunday, February 19

New Orleans, La.

1 p.m. ET

Army West Point

1-3

Tulane

1-2

Army West Point

Tulane

Dickerson Leads Black Knights To First Win

February 19, 2017 | Baseball

Box Score

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Army West Point baseball team closed out its time in Louisiana with a 7-4 victory over Tulane here Sunday afternoon.

With the outcome, the Black Knights nabbed their first victory of the season and first win in the Jim Foster era.

Senior Alex Dickerson was the man of the day, finishing 3-for-4 with seven RBI. Yes, he brought in all of Army's runs thanks to a single and two doubles.

Jon Rosoff also tallied two hits, while Kris Lindner notched a single to close out the Black Knight top hitting performers.

Army's pitching in the weekend finale was also key in the win. Daniel Gibbons was impressive on the mound in his season debut, allowing just three hits and two earned runs in his 4.2 innings of work. The junior posted a career-best eight strikeouts in the contest as well.

Carter Van Gytenbeek then came in for relief and earned the win in his first collegiate appearance. The rookie finished his day giving up five hits and two earned runs, while fanning three batters in 4.0 innings. The Greenwood Village, Colo., native retired the first six batters he faced, including striking out two.

Sophomore Sam Messina closed out the game with his first career save after registering the final out of the inning. He allowed one hit during his time in the circle.

ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES

Dickerson's seven RBI are the most by a single player since Cody Murtle '12 notched six in a victory over Sacred Heart on March 10, 2012.
He was one RBI shy of matching the program record which has been achieved only twice (Mike Scioletti vs. New York Tech – 1997 and Dan Kirk vs. Brooklyn – 1987).
After allowing three hits over the course of the first two innings, the Black Knights did not concede a hit until a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh. The pitching staff combined for seven strikeouts during that stretch.
Hudgins crossed home plate a game-high three times.
The Cadets forced the Green Wave to use five different pitchers throughout the course of the game.
Army was caught stealing four times.

LINEUP BREAKDOWN
     Hurtubise (CF): 0-for-5
     Rosoff (C): 2-for-4 with a run
     McCarthy (LF): 0-for-4 with a run and a walk
     Hudgins (RF): 0-for-1 with three runs and three walks
     Lindner (2B): 1-for-2 with two runs and two walks
     Dickerson (DH): 3-for-4 with 7 RBIs
     Crompton (3B): 0-for-3 with a walk
     Giovinco (1B): 0-for-3 with a walk
     White (SS): 0-for-3 with a walk

     Gibbons (P): 4.2 innings, 3 hits, 2 earned runs, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
        - Van Gytenbeek (W): 4.0 innings, 5 hits, 2 earned runs, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts
        - Carte (S): 0.1 innings, 1 hit

FACTS & FIGURES

Army finished its day with six hits, seven RBI and two errors. Tulane compiled nine hits and four RBI with no errors.
The Black Knights stranded five runners on base, while the Green Wave left 12.

HOW IT HAPPENED

With two outs in the opening inning, the Black Knights earned three consecutive walks to load the bases. Dickerson then stepped up and singled to left field to bring home Army's first two runs of the game.
The Green Wave knotted the score at 2-all in the bottom half of the first.
The Cadets jumped back out in front in the top of the third again after a two-out rally. Hudgins and Lindner earned back-to-back walks before Dickerson drilled his first double of the contest to left field. His dinger brought home both runners, handing the visitors a 4-2 edge.
Two innings later the Black Knights were tacking on three more runs. Rosoff started the fifth with a single to right field. After Tulane recorded the first out of the inning, Hudgins walked to place runners on first and second. Lindner then singled on a bunt to load the bases, setting up Dickerson's three-run double down the left field line on the ensuing at bat.
The Green Wave tried to rally in the bottom of the ninth, even grabbing two runs back from the Cadets, but the deficit proved to be too much.

UP NEXT

Army heads back down south to North Carolina to face off with ACC foe Duke in a three-game set. That series runs from Feb. 24-26 with the opening contest slated for 4 p.m. on Friday.