Chris Tracz Earns First Win at Army, Baseball Wins Season Opener

Friday, February 17

Cleburne, TX

8:00 PM ET

Army West Point

1-0

Air Force

0-1

ARMY

Air Force

Chris Tracz Earns First Win at Army, Baseball Wins Season Opener

February 18, 2023 | Baseball

Box Score

CLEBURNE, TEXAS – In the inaugural Liberty Classic, the Army West Point baseball team kicked off 2023 season with a 5-2 win against Air Force in Game 1 of the Liberty Classic. Army's Derek Berg went 2-4 with a double, an RBI, and a homerun. Junior Sam Ruta went 2-3 with a triple and an RBI.

How it Happened

Making his debut as Army Head Coach, Chris Tracz sent Tanner Gresham to the mound in Game 1 of the Liberty Classic. In four innings, Gresham had five strike outs. Coming into relieve Gresham, senior Robbie Buecker a strong appearance on the mound. Buecker pitched through three innings and had four strikeouts.

In the bottom of the first inning, the Falcons got on the board first after scoring two runs. At the top of the second, Army answered back with Ethan Ellis coming across the plate off a sacrifice fly from Thomas Schreck.

In the bottom of the fourth Gresham cleared the side with a ground out and two strikeouts. The Black Knights came out firing on all cylinders Derek Berg hitting a leadoff double. Sam Ruta came up to the plate and hit a triple to left center bringing Berg to score the equalizer. Giving Army the lead, senior Ross Friedrick had a sacrifice fly to center, sending Ruta across the plate.

In the bottom of the fifth, Robbie Buecker came to relieve Gresham. In his first appearance of the 2023 season, Buecker cleared the side forcing Air Force to leave a runner on base. In the top of the seventh, Army's bats came alive with Berg firing off a leadoff homerun making it a 4-2 game. With a runner on third, Braden Golinski hit a double to left bringing Ruta to score for the Black Knights, making it a 5-2 Army lead.

Senior Patrick Melampy came in to pitch for the Black Knights in the bottom of the eighth. With a bases loaded situation, Melampy struck out Air Force's Jay Thomason and Trayden Tamiya. Army ended the inning after catching a fly ball hit by Air Force's Blake Covin.

Robbie Buecker got the win in Game 1 while Patrick Melampy got the save.

Ross Friedrick went 2-4 with a double and an RBI.

Braden Golinski went 2-5 and had a double and an RBI.

Up Next

The Black Knights and the Falcons with return to action for Game 2 of the Liberty Classic on Saturday, February 18 at 2 p.m. EST.

Follow Along
For complete coverage of Army West Point Baseball, follow the Black Knights on Twitter and Instagram at @ArmyWP_Baseball and online at www.goarmywestpoint.com.