Baseball Advances to Patriot League Championship Series with 7-3 Win Over Lafayette

Sunday, May 16

Doubleday Field

12:05 p.m. ET

Army West Point

26-22

Lafayette

14-17

Lafayette

Army West Point

2021 Patriot League Championships Semifinals

Baseball Advances to Patriot League Championship Series with 7-3 Win Over Lafayette

May 16, 2021 | Baseball

Box Score

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Army West Point baseball defeated Lafayette, 7-3 on Sunday afternoon at Doubleday Field to win the best-of-three Patriot League Championship Divisional Semifinal series.

The Black Knights advance to the championship series after taking two-of-three from Lafayette on the weekend, winning game one on Saturday, 8-6. The championship best-of-three series will take place at Lehigh, May 26-28.

The Black Knights were fueled by a clutch pitching performance from senior Ray Bartoli, who nearly went the distance, tossing 8.1 innings, allowing just three runs (two earned) on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts. He gave way to lefty specialist Tyler Pritchard as the Black Knights played the matchups in the top of the ninth. Pritchard finished things off as he got the only batter he faced to hit into a game-ending 4-6-3 double play.

On his stellar performance, Bartoli said, "Today was just about trusting my catcher Cam [Cerruto]. He has been a rock out there behind the dish for us all season. The biggest thing today was having trust that whatever he and Coach Foster threw down there, I was just going to have to go and execute. I filled it up pretty well I thought."

Offensively the Black Knights got on the board early and often. They tacked two runs on in the first and another two in the second inning to jump out to a 4-1 lead. They never relinquished that lead and the game was blown open in the bottom of the sixth inning as Cam Cerruto mashed his first home run of the year, a three-run shot to left to make it 7-1, Black Knights.

On his home run, Cerruto said, "Their pitcher had been throwing his breaking ball for strikes all day, so I talked to coach and decided to sit breaking ball first two pitches. So, my approach was to look for a breaking ball that started at me and broke over the plate and I got it. Got it a good piece of it."

The Leopards added a run in the sixth and a run in the seventh but that was all they would be able to tack on against Bartoli and Pritchard.

Shortstop Kevin Dubrule was also outstanding at the dish for the Black Knights on the day, driving in three of the Black Knights' first four runs.

Center fielder Hunter Meade also looking comfortable at the plate in the leadoff spot, tallying a team-high three hits as he went 3-for-4 with two runs scored on the day.

Bartoli earned the win for the Black Knights to improve to 2-1 on the year.

Lafayette starter Jake Bloss took the loss, tossing 5.1 innings, allowing seven runs on eight hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Reliever Jacob Ciccone tossed 2.1 scoreless down the stretch but the damage had already been done.

"We are excited. It is something we have talked about all season. I think we will be ready to go. We will

On advancing to the Patriot League Championship series, Cerruto said, "It is huge. This is what we have worked for the whole entire year. We have had some ups and downs, but as long as we get rolling offensively and defensively and we come together, it can be something special and we are excited for the opportunity."

NOTES

Meade led the way at the plate in the three-game series, going 6-for-12 with two runs scored, one double and two RBI.
Dubrule and Cerruto led the way with four RBI apiece on the weekend.
Macias found his groove again, hitting .500 (5-for-10) with a team-high three runs scored, one RBI and two walks.
Bartoli tossed 8.1 innings of seven-hit, three-run (two earned)

WHAT'S NEXT
The Black Knights will travel to Lehigh for the championship best-of-three series, starting Wednesday, May 26 at 2 p.m. ET. Game two is set for Thursday, May 27 at 2 p.m. ET and the if necessary game three is scheduled for Friday, May 28 at 2 p.m. ET.