Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
Colgate
Softball Heads Upstate to Take on Colgate
May 02, 2024 | Softball
WEST POINT, N.Y. - The Army West Point softball team (12-36, 7-8 PL) is set to travel upstate to Hamilton for their last three games of the 2024 regular season, where they will face Colgate (21-26, 7-8).
Fans can watch the game on ESPN+ and follow along live stats here.Â
LAST TIME OUT
Army hosted St. John's in their final midweek doubleheader of the season. The Black Knights fell in both games, 2-1 and 2-0.Â
Game 1:Â
- A pitching duel between Army's Amanda Eaglin and St. John's Loreley Francia dominated the first four innings, with Eaglin yielding only three hits and recording four strikeouts.
- St. John's took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning with back-to-back RBI doubles.
- Army's Katelyn Flanders prevented a stolen base attempt in the top of the fifth, and Ashton White's RBI single in the bottom of the inning brought the score to 2-1.
- Despite Army's efforts, St. John's defense, particularly led by Francia, held firm, securing a 2-1 victory, with notable performances from Kayla Edwards, White, and Mia Bonsignore at the plate.
Game 2:Â
- The second game mirrored the first with a pitching and defensive duel between Army's Olivia Farris and St. John's Ana Serafinko.
- Serafinko held Army scoreless and hitless through three innings, tallying four strikeouts, while Farris matched her, conceding only three hits and striking out four.
- Army broke through in the fourth inning with a double from Ashton White, but St. John's defense shut down their offense swiftly.
- Despite Army's efforts to rally in the sixth inning, loading the bases, Serafinko maintained composure, securing a crucial strikeout to escape unscathed. St. John's ultimately won 2-0, as Serafinko retired Army's batters in order in the final inning.
LAST TIME THEY MET
Colgate and Army have a rich history as Patriot League rivals, having faced off 130 times since 1979.
Colgate holds the upper hand in the series, securing 71 wins compared to Army's 63.
Their most recent encounter was last season, where the Black Knights emerged victorious in all three games of the series, with scores of 3-1, 5-4, and 8-7.
TEAM AND PLAYER NOTES
The Army is aiming to secure their spot this weekend as they are currently tied with the Raiders for the fourth and final position in the Patriot League post-season tournament.
To clinch their berth, the Black Knights need to win two out of the three upcoming games.
Ashton White now leads the team with a .380 batting average, ranking fifth in the Patriot League. She also leads in total RBIs, accumulating 35 so far this season.
Kayla Edwards leads the team with 59 total hits, closely followed by White with 54.
In pitching, Izzo boasts the lowest ERA on the team at 3.99 and shares the lead in strikeouts with 51.
Olivia Farris holds the most wins as a pitcher with four this season.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Colgate heads into the weekend with a 21-26 overall record and a 7-8 Patriot League standing, tying Army for the fourth seed, crucial for their playoff hopes.
Both the Black Knights and the Raiders have faced common non-conference opponents in Rutgers and UAlbany. Colgate suffered defeats of 7-4 and 4-1 against these teams. Meanwhile, Army faced losses of 2-0 and 7-3 & 4-3 (doubleheader).
Kiley Shelton spearheads Colgate's hitting efforts with an impressive .345 batting average, leading in total hits (50), RBIs (38), and home runs (7).
Following closely behind, Adrienne Nardone boasts 35 RBIs and 45 total hits.
In the pitching department, Colgate has utilized four different pitchers this season. Bailey Misken has been the most active, maintaining the lowest ERA (3.33), securing the most wins (11-12), and recording the highest number of strikeouts (125).
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