Black Knights Come Back for Game Two Victory

Friday, March 17

Clearwater, Fla.

11 AM

Army West Point

14-9

Ohio State

13-6

Army West Point

Ohio State

Black Knights Come Back for Game Two Victory

March 17, 2017 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Army West Point softball team responded after dropping a 7-6 decision to Ohio State in extra innings with a 6-3 victory over Fairfield from the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex on Friday.

The Black Knights moved to 15-9 on the season, while the Buckeyes improved to 13-6 and the Stags fell to 4-13.

ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES

This was the first meeting between Army and Ohio State, while the Black Knights evened the all-time series with Fairfield at 17 apiece.
The Black Knights' victory over Fairfield was the first time Army defeated a team without recording an extra base hit.
Sophomore Ashley Yoo documented the second three-hit game of her career against Fairfield, with the other coming in a 3-for-3 effort against Wisconsin-Green Bay on March 11, 2016.
It was the fifth time this season a Cadet has recorded three hits in a game.
Senior Alee Rashenskas recorded her a pair of walks in today's games, giving her 65 for her career which ranks third in program history.
She also earned her fifth multi-hit game of the season against Ohio State, tying her with freshman Emily Ballesteros for the team lead.
Senior Caroline Smith tossed her fourth complete game of the season in game two as she penciled in her fifth win of the year.
Freshman Katie Ontiveros' two-run single versus Fairfield brings her season RBI total to 11, becoming the second Army player with double-digit RBI on the season with Ballesteros (14).
Ontiveros and Ballesteros are now tied for the team lead in multi-RBI games with three each.

LINEUP BREAKDOWN vs. OHIO STATE
Swafford (LF): 0-for-2 with two walks

Hoover (PR/LF): 0-for-0 with a run scored and a stolen base

Rashenskas (2B): 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base
Ballesteros (3B): 0-for-2 with a walk, hit by pitch and a run scored
Kim (C): 0-for-1 with a hit by pitch and an RBI

Yoo (PH/DP): 1-for-1 with a walk, an RBI and a stolen base

Ontiveros (DP/C): 0-for-4 with an RBI
Gray (1B): 0-for-4
Trotter (RF): 0-for-2

Gates (RF): N/A

West (P): 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored

Newbary (P): N/A
Poirier (P): 0-for-1

Esparza-Gallegos (SS): 0-for-2

Riccoboni (PH): 0-for-1

McKinney (CF): N/A

West (P): 5.0 Innings, five hits, five runs (two earned), four walks and one strikeout
Newbary (P): 1.0 Inning, one hit, one run (earned), one walk and 0 strikeouts
Poirier (P): 1.0 Inning, one hit, one run (none earned), one walk and 0 strikeouts

FACTS & FIGURES

The Black Knights totaled six runs on three hits and committed three errors defensively, while the Buckeyes scored seven runs on seven hits and did not have any errors.

HOW IT HAPPENED vs. OHIO STATE

The Buckeyes got on the board first after a two-out double down the left field line plated their lead off runner from first in the second inning.
Army put its first two base runners on the following inning with a walk from Kristen West and a hit by pitch from Gladys Esparza-Gallegos that began a four-run rally to claim the lead.
West scored on a single by Alee Rashenskas before Esparza-Gallegos came home on another hit by pitch.
Rashenskas and Ballesteros scored on separate pass balls from Ohio State, allowing Army to take a two-run advantage.
In the bottom of the inning, the Buckeyes started to claw back.
A leadoff walk was turned into a run after back-to-back singles to cut the deficit to one.
Ohio State may have tied the game or taken the lead at that time if not for a timely 5-3 double play to get the Black Knights out of danger.
OSU would score two in the bottom of the fourth, however, to retake the lead at 5-4.
Army's response came in the top of the seventh when it was down to its final three outs.
Leadoff walks from Lacey Swafford and Rashenskas got things going before Michaela Hoover pinch ran at second for the freshman outfielder.
They performed a double-steal to put both runners in scoring position, allowing Ashley Yoo to drive in hoover with a single through the left side.
After Yoo took second to eliminate the force out, Katie Ontiveros grounded out to the shortstop which gave Rashenskas the opportunity to tie the game.
After holding OSU in the seventh, the Black Knights were unable to score Emily Gray from second after she started there due to the international tie break rule.
After a sacrifice bunt where both runners were safe in the bottom of the eighth, Bri Betschel walked off with a single to left.

LINEUP BREAKDOWN vs. FAIRFIELD
Yoo (DP): 3-for-4 with a run scored
Rashenskas (2B): 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored
Ballesteros (3B): 1-for-3
Ontiveros (C): 1-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI
Gray (1B): 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored
Smith (P): 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI
Gates (RF): 1-for-3 with two RBI
Trotter (LF): 1-for-3 with an RBI
Esparza-Gallegos (SS): 1-for-3 with a run scored
McKinney (CF): 0-for-0 with a stolen base

FACTS & FIGURES

Army tallied six runs on nine hits and one error, while Fairfield scored three runs on eight hits and committed two errors.

HOW IT HAPPENED vs. FAIRFIELD

Fairfield sprinted out to an early 2-0 lead after the top of the first before Caroline Smith was able to show down the Stags.
She allowed a leadoff single in the second before retiring six-straight batters.
The Black Knights offense came alive in the third inning with a six-run explosion.
Army put its first three runners of the inning on base with hits from Gladys Esparza-Gallegos and Ashley Yoo and a walk from Alee Rashenskas.
Katie Ontiveros followed that up two batters later with a single up the middle that put Army on the board and tied the game.
A walk by Emily Gray reloaded the bases for Smith who slapped a hit through the infield to give the Black Knights their first lead.
The next batter was Izzy Gates who duplicated Ontiveros' at-bat with a two-run single up the middle.
Army's final run of the inning came off the bat of Amelia Trotter who singled in Smith.
That would be all the offensive production the Black Knights would need as the only other scoring came in the fifth inning when Fairfield added one to their total.