Army Trades Shutouts with Indiana State, Monmouth

Wednesday, March 15

Clearwater, Fla.

11 AM

Army West Point

14-7

Indiana State

13-9

Indiana State

Army West Point

Army Trades Shutouts with Indiana State, Monmouth

March 15, 2017 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Army West Point softball team went 1-1 on the day after shutting out Indiana State, 7-0, and dropping a 6-0 decision to Monmouth on Wednesday from the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex.

The Black Knights are now 14-8, while the Sycamores dropped to 13-9 and the Hawks improved to 3-11.

ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES

Army improved to 2-0 in the all-time series against Indiana State in the first meeting between the two sides in 32 years.
The Black Knights dropped to 3-3 against Monmouth all-time.
Junior Gladys Esparza-Gallegos led the team with four hits on the day, documenting a pair of multi-hit games.
Freshman Emily Ballesteros stretched her hitting streak to 14 games with a triple in the first game before seeing it come to an end in the second game.
Senior Caroline Smith was dominant in game one, retiring 21 of the 25 batters she faced.
Smith did issue a walk throughout the entire game, marking the first time Army has accomplished that feat this season.
This was Army's third shutout victory of the season.

KEY MOMENT

Smith retired eight-straight batters against Indiana State from the second inning to the fifth, allowing Army to add three runs to its lead.

LINEUP BREAKDOWN vs. INDIANA STATE
Rashenskas (2B): 0-for-4
Swafford (LF): 1-for-3 with a hit by pitch, run scored and two RBI
Ballesteros (3B): 1-for-4 with a triple, two runs and an RBI
Riccoboni (DP): 0-for-2 with two walks
Kim (C): 1-for-1 with two walks, a hit by pitch, run scored and an RBI
Trotter (RF): 0-for-2 with two walks and a run scored
Gray (1B): 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI
Smith (P): 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored
Esparza-Gallegos (SS): 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI
McKinney (CF): N/A

Smith (P): 7.0 innings with four hits, 0 runs, 0 walks and 0 strikeouts

FACTS & FIGURES

The Black Knights scored seven runs on seven hits and did not commit any errors, while Indiana State scored no runs on four hits and made one error defensively.

HOW IT HAPPENED vs. INDIANA STATE

The Black Knights got things going early offensively by scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning.
After Lacey Swafford got hit by a pitch, Emily Ballesteros notched her 14^th RBI of the season with a triple to right center.
She later scored on a wild pitch to give Army a two-run lead.
After giving up her second hit in as many innings with a one-out single, Caroline Smith was dialed in throughout the next few innings as she retired eight consecutive batters.
In the bottom half of the inning, Swafford plated Smith and Gladys Esparza-Gallegos with a two-out single up the middle to double the Black Knights' lead.
The following inning, Esparza-Gallegos plated Amelia Trotter to make it a 5-0 lead for Army after the freshman right fielder reached base on a fielder's choice.
It would not be until the leadoff batter in the fifth inning until the Sycamores would generate another base runner.
Army got its offense clicking again in the sixth inning with two more runs.
Things started with Ballesteros reaching on an error before she scored two batters later when Maddie Kim singled to center field.
Trotter followed Kim with a walk before Emily Gray got a hit up the middle to score Kim.

LINEUP BREAKDOWN vs. MONMOUTH
Rashenskas (2B): 1-for-4
Swafford (LF): 1-for-3 with a walk
Ballesteros (3B): 0-for-4
Riccoboni (DP): 0-for-3 with a walk
Kim (C): 1-for-4 with a double
Trotter (RF): 0-for-2 with a walk
Gray (1B): 2-for-3 with a double
Poirier (P): 0-for-2

West (P): 0-for-1

Esparza-Gallegos (SS): 2-for-2 with a double and a walk
McKinney (CF): N/A

Poirier (P): 4.1 innings, seven hits, five runs (four earned), one walk and two strikeouts
West (P): 1.2 innings, two hits, one run (earned), 0 walks and 0 strikeouts

FACTS & FIGURES

Army scored no runs on seven hits while committing one error, and Monmouth scored six runs on nine hits and one error.

HOW IT HAPPENED vs. MONMOUTH

Army continued to get its opportunities at the plate early in the second game as the Black Knights were able to generate multiple base runners in each of the first four innings, although the hits would run out before any runs could be scored.
Army stranded two runners in each of the first three innings and left the bases loaded in the fourth.
Monmouth scored the game's first run in the home half of the second inning on a ground-rule double.
After Renee Poirier has put together a pair of 1-2-3 innings, the Hawks opened up the game with a four-run fifth inning.
The rally started with back-to-back doubles before a pair of singles provided a first-and-third situation.
A two-run double by Monmouth closed out the scoring for the inning and ended Poirier's day in the circle.
The Hawks would add one final insurance run in the sixth inning on another double.

COACHES CORNER

Head coach Michelle DePolo – "Caroline did a great job keeping their bats at bay in the first game. She let our defense do the work behind her and didn't try to do too much with her pitches. She had great command of the strike zone and was able to generate weak contact from the other team."
"Offensively, we were disciplined at the plate. Our hitters did a good job being patient and earning free passes, and I think that was evident when you see that we had four girls with multiple walks. The second game was just unfortunate. We did a good job getting runners on base, but we need to convert on those chances. There were way too many runners left in scoring position, especially on third base. If we get a couple hits here or there, it could've be a different ballgame. There were a couple of times we struck the ball well, it just happened to be right at their players. This game was just one of those days."
"We had solid performances for 80-85 percent of the day, we just need to close out a little better. We had plenty of highlights throughout both games, we just need to finish our opportunities and we will be fine."

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