Offensive Outburst Lifts Army Past Iona in DH

Wednesday, April 3

New Rochelle, N.Y.

2 PM

Army West Point

16-19

Iona

6-17

Army West Point

Iona College

Julia Wyatt drove in a career-high four runs in game two as Army swept Iona in its midweek doubleheader

Offensive Outburst Lifts Army Past Iona in DH

April 03, 2019 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – The Army West Point softball team collected its first doubleheader sweep of the season with a pair of road victories over Iona on Wednesday afternoon.

The Black Knights, who improved to 17-19 on the season, came away with a 5-3 win in game one before collecting a 10-1 run-rule victory in five innings in the night cap. Their bats came to life in the midweek twin bill as the Cadets scored 15 runs on 16 hits on the afternoon.

Leading the offensive effort was senior Ashley Yoo, junior Emily Ballesteros and sophomore Ally Snelling, who each recorded three hits on the afternoon. Sophomore Julia Wyatt provided the power with the team's only extra-base hit of the day with a three-RBI double and paced the squad with four runs driven in. Snelling scored a team-high three runs.

Rookie Jolie Duong was masterful in the circle during game one. After a rough first inning, she scattered six hits and three runs (one earned) over 7.0 innings of work. The Houston, Texas, native issued just one free pass while striking out seven.

In game two, senior Renee Poirier continued to build upon her recent success with another masterful outing. The veteran right-hander tossed a three-hit complete game, going 5.0 innings and striking out five Gaels.

GAME 1: Army 5, Iona 3
HOW IT HAPPENED

Army took an early 1-0 lead after Carrie Reilly scored on a double play by the Gaels' defense in the first inning.
The home side responded in the home half of the inning when a Jasmine Temple single tied the game at 1-1.
Ciarra Diguilio gave Iona the lead later in the frame with a two-run double.
The Black Knights struck again in the third inning with an RBI single from Ballesteros to trim the lead to one at 3-2.
Army recaptured the lead in the following stanza with a pair of runs.
Senior Maddie Kim tied the game by scoring from third on a pass ball before Yoo plated sophomore Taylor Livingston.
After a slow start to the game, Duong buckled down in the circle and retired 15 straight Gaels to allow her offense to go to work and secured the win.

ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES

Yoo and Ballesteros tallied their 25th hits of the year.
Yoo collected her ninth multi-hit game of the year and 26th of her career.
The Yorba Linda, Calif., native added her third multi-RBI game and seventh of her career.
Ballesteros notched her fourth multi-hit game of the season and 25th of her career.
Duong recorded her 20th hit of the season.
The Houston, Texas, native struck out at least seven hitters for the fourth time this season.
She has struck out seven or more batters in consecutive games for the first time in her career.
Duong made her 20th collegiate pitching appearance in her 15th start in the circle.
Kim contributed her 70th career base hit.
Snelling scored the 20th run of her career.

GAME 2: Army 10, Iona 1
HOW IT HAPPENED

Army once again took a first-inning lead after having the first three hitters reach base.
Ballesteros drove a sac fly to left field to score Yoo, who led off the game with a walk, to open the scoring.
Wyatt added a clutch bases-clearing double to plate Reilly, Snelling and Madi Gilmore to cap the visitor's four-run first.
The Black Knights padded their lead in the third inning with a big six-run inning.
Gilmore reached on a bunt single which allowed Snelling to cross the plate before Wyatt tallied her fourth RBI of the afternoon in the next plate appearance with a sac fly to center to score Ballesteros.
Yoo continued the offensive surge with an RBI single to score junior Katie Ontiveros to make it a 7-0 lead.
Megan Muffett would later come around to add the fourth run of the frame as Reilly reached on a misplay by the Gaels defense.
Not to be outdone, Snelling drove in two more in the form of Yoo and Livingston with a two-out single to push the Black Knights' advantage into double digits at 10-0.
Iona answered in the home half of the fourth with a solo home run by Brianna Buck to get on the board.

ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES

Army has won its last seven meetings against Iona dating back to the 2012 season.
The Black Knights are riding a season-long three-game winning streak.
Army earned its first doubleheader sweep since May 5 of last season against Lafayette.
Wyatt notched her fifth hit of the season and third double.
The Frederick, Colo., native drove in a career-high four RBI in the game.
It was just the fourth four-RBI game of the season for the Black Knights.
Poirier became the 10th pitcher in program history to record 30 career victories.
The Plainville, Mass., native struck out at least five batters for the second-consecutive outing.
Gilmore earned her team-leading 12th free pass of the season.
The Rosamond, Calif., native collected the 15th hit of her rookie campaign.
Snelling tied Yoo for the team lead with her ninth multi-hit effort of the year.
The Las Vegas, Nev., native now owns the most three-hit games on the squad this season with three.
She contributed her team-leading sixth multi-RBI performance as well.
Snelling became the first Cadet to reach the 20-RBI plateau in 2019.
Muffett drew her 10th-career walk.
Yoo drove in her 10th RBI of the season.

COACH'S CORNER

Interim head coach Bob Beretta - "I am very pleased with the way we played today on both sides of the ball. We received outstanding pitching performances from Jolie and Renee and played solid defense with the exception of the first inning of the first game. There was a lot to get excited about in the first victory. Our defense faltered a bit in the first inning, and the result was a couple of unearned runs. But I was very pleased with the way we battled back, took the lead and added an important insurance run late. Ashley Yoo was our catalyst. She had a couple of big two-out RBI singles that really gave us a lift. And Jolie stabilized the game for us after that first inning and gave our offense a chance to work.
"I loved our mental approach in the second game. We took a business-like approach into the game and jumped out with a big first inning. We did a nice job of playing offense throughout and gradually extending the lead. That was so important for us. And Renee gave us another strong showing in the circle. She worked out of trouble a couple of times and really battled the whole time. I thought we might have turned the corner on Sunday, and it definitely carried over into today. We've been so close to sweeping doubleheaders all season so it was nice to final get one today. I felt this team was ready to take off this past weekend. Hopefully, we bring the same mental approach into this weekend's series with Colgate."

UP NEXT

The Black Knights return home as they resume Patriot League play with a weekend clash against Colgate.
The series opens with a doubleheader on Saturday at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively, before wrapping up with a single game on Sunday. First pitch for the series finale is slated for noon.