Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
35-24
Harvard
27-14
Army Records 35th Win After 8-3 Triumph
May 23, 2019 | Baseball
HARTFORD, Conn. - The Army West Point baseball team earned its 35th win here Thursday afternoon after it posted a 8-3 victory over Harvard.
The two teams agreed to face off in a midweek game after both won their respective conference tournaments last weekend. While they wait to find out their regional placement in the NCAA tournament, which happens Monday, they decided to play a neutral site game at the home stadium of the Hartford Yard Goats.
The Ivy League champions jumped on things early after posting one run on three hits in the opening frame. Army responded in the fifth when it brought home five runs on four hits to take a 5-1 edge. The Crimson cut into the deficit in the sixth and seventh when they scored two runs but a two-run eighth inning for the Black Knights ultimately put the game away. Army closed out its scoring in the ninth after Brendan Siriani covered on a sacrifice bunt to hand the designated visiting team their ninth run.
Jacob Hurtubise and John McKenna led the team with three hits each. Both touched home plate once in the game, while Hurtubise reached base every time he stepped into the batter's box after drawing two walks as well.
Hurtubise and Cam Cerruto also tallied a team-high two runs batted in on the day.
Sam Messina notched his eighth win of the season on Thursday. The senior allowed just one hit in 2.0 innings on the hill.
ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES
- Army notched its 35th win of the year, marking the first time it reached 35 wins in back-to-back years since doing so in 2004 & 2005.
- Andre Walden, Jeremiah Adams and Siriani were all credited with an RBI in the game.
- Eight different Black Knights scored a run in the contest.
- Hurtubise stole three bases in the game, while Josh White swiped two.
- Tyler Giovinco got the starting nod for the Black Knights. The Las Vegas, Nev., native allowed four hits and one run in 2.0 innings on the hill.
- Anthony LoRicco, Logan Smith, Ray Bartoli, Harry Flannery Jr., and Cam Opp each saw action in the game as well.
- Army's pitching staff combined to strike out nine batters, while the Crimson's eight-man staff fanned 10.
- The Black Knights allowed four extra base hits in the contest, all doubles.
How It Happened
- The designated home team scored first following a sacrifice fly in the opening frame.
- Army responded with a big fifth inning that included a two-RBI knock from Cerruto. Hurtubise started the frame by reaching on a four-pitch walk. He then stole second and third before scoring on a throwing error. White followed suit with a walk of his own during the ensuing at bat. After the Crimson tallied the first out of the frame, White advance to second on a stolen base before taking third on yet another throwing error. A Walden single to third then scored the senior for the go-ahead run. McKenna, Adams and Cerruto then registered Army's second, third and fourth-straight hits to bring home an additional three runs.
- The Crimson tallied a run back in the sixth after Hunter Bigge drilled a double to right center to score Chad Minato who walked to lead off the inning. That hit pulled Harvard to within 5-2.
- Again the Crimson cut into the advantage with a single run in the seventh to make it a 5-3 ballgame.
- Fortunately for Army, Hurtubise registered a one-out single to center field to score Tim Simoes and Drake Titus to hand the Black Knights' two insurance runs.
- The Cadets then closed out their scoring in the ninth when Siriani dropped down a sacrifice bunt to score pinch runner Anfernee Crompton.
FACTS & FIGURES
- Army posted eight runs on 11 hits, while Harvard finished with three runs on nine hits.
- The Crimson were tagged with the only errors in the game (3).
- The Black Knights left nine runners on base. Harvard stranded 10.
UP NEXT
- The Black Knights will learn where they are going to be headed for the NCAA Regionals on Monday at 12 p.m. with the selection show being broadcast on ESPNU.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Messina, Sam (8-4)
L: Mahala,Jack (2-2)
Batting:
RBI: Hurtubise, Jacob 2 ; Walden, Andre 1 ; Adams, Jeremiah 1 ; Cerruto, Cam 2 ; Siriani, Brendan 1
SH: White, Josh 1 ; Siriani, Brendan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hurtubise, Jacob 1 ; White, Josh 1 ; Walden, Andre 1 ; McKenna, John 1 ; Crompton, Anfernee 1 ; Adams, Jeremiah 1 ; Simoes, Tim 1 ; Titus, Drake 1
SB: Hurtubise, Jacob 3 ; White, Josh 2
CS: Simoes, Tim 1
HBP: White, Josh 1 ; Giachin, Anthony 1
Batting:
2B: Skinner,Ben 1 ; Suddleson,Jake 1 ; Bigge,Hunter 1 ; Bravo,Logan 1
RBI: McColl,Patrick 1 ; Bigge,Hunter 2
SH: Skinner,Ben 1
SF: McColl,Patrick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Skinner,Ben 1 ; McColl,Patrick 1 ; Minato,Chad 1
