Softball Splits Doubleheader Against UC Riverside

Saturday, February 8

Riverside, Calif.

2:00 PM

Army West Point

2-1

UC Riverside

1-2

ARMY

UC Riverside

Softball Splits Doubleheader Against UC Riverside

February 08, 2025 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Army West Point Softball (2-2) finished Saturday 1-1 after splitting a doubleheader with the UC Riverside Highlanders (2-2), with the Black Knights taking a 1-0 win in Game One, but ultimately falling in Game Two 6-5.

Over the two games, the Black Knights finished hitting .268 with 15 hits, six total runs, six RBIs and four extra-base hits. Meanwhile, on the pitching side, Army totaled a 4.15 ERA on the day earning 12 strikeouts while allowing 17 hits, six runs, five walks and four extra-base hits.

As for offensive leaders, Ashton White leads the Black Knights with five hits overall on the day while hitting .625 earning two RBIs. Caitlyn Newburn led the slugging efforts with two hits, two RBIs, one double and one home run. Newburn boasted a team-best .857 slugging percentage on Saturday.

As for the pitching staff, Katelyn Flanders gained the win in Game One for Army, finishing the first game with a 0.00 ERA with three strikeouts.

Breanna Izzo also earned a save in the first game against UC Riverside and ultimately finished the day with a 3.18 ERA in 5.2 innings pitched as a reliever. Izzo also added eight strikeouts while allowing seven hits and two runs.

GAME 1

In the first game, despite both teams being scoreless through the first five innings, both teams still saw offensive production in hitting.

Ashton White got her first hit of the day in the top of the first inning with a single to second base. Then in the top of the second inning, Emma Murchison got her first hit of the season with a double down the left-field line. UC Riverside also got a hit in the second inning.

Army had a chance to earn its first run in the top of the third with another single from Ashton White and a double from Taylor Brown. The Black Knights would pop up to second base and fly out in consecutive batters, cutting the scoring opportunity. UC Riverside would also get two hits in the third but was unable to produce a run as well.

The Black Knights finally broke through in the top of the fifth inning, scoring their only run of the game.

It started when Sienna Tepley was hit by a pitch, followed by Leila Hurst causing a walk, advancing Tepley to second base. Two batters struck out, then with two outs, Caitlyn Newburn doubled towards the left field line, advancing the base runners and allowing Tepley to be brought in for the first and only run of the game.

The Highlanders came back in the fifth inning, eventually loading the bases against Katelyn Flanders. Breanna Izzo then came in to relieve Flanders, only needing one out to retire the inning. Then on a 3-1 count, Izzo struck out the Highlanders' batter to get out of the inning.

The Black Knights would have one more hit in the game with Ashton White getting her third single of the game hitting toward center field. Then in the bottom of the seventh, Army caused UC Riverside to go three-and-out, with the game-clinching out coming in the form of a strikeout looking courtesy of Breanna Izzo.

GAME 2

In the first inning, both teams went three and out, quickly moving the game to the second inning.

Army's first hit of the second came courtesy of Caitlyn Newburn, which was a lead-off home run on the first pitch from UC Riverside. This was the second time this season Newburn had a lead-off home run on the first pitch, doing it previously against LMU in the top of the fourth inning.

Newburn was not the only Black Knight who earned a hit in the second inning, with Samantha Sims earning her first hit of the season singling to the left field line. The next two batters were retired, giving Army a 1-0 lead.

The Black Knights struck again in the third inning. Sienna Tepley hit a successful bunt, but due to a fielding error, advanced to second base. Tepley would then steal third, then Aston White hit her first single of the game, her fourth on the day, sending Tepley home, extending Army's lead to 2-0.

UC Riverside's bats came alive in the bottom of the third, scoring four runs off of four hits off of Amanda Eaglin. After the four runs, Izzo came in for the second time on Saturday and struck out the next batter to end the inning.

Apart from a single from Samantha Sims in the top of the fourth inning, Army faced a tough fourth inning. The Black Knights were retired quickly and UC Riverside scored two runs in the fourth, extending Army's deficit to 2-6.

Both teams were held scoreless in the fifth inning, but Army started making a comeback in the sixth inning.

Taylor Brown came in to pinch hit, singling up the middle, then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Anna Christiana. Tepley would also reach base courtesy of a UC Riverside error, letting Brown reach third. Leila Hurst then singled to center, sending Brown home. The next batter up, Ashton White singled to right center, allowing Tepley to run home, cutting the deficit to 4-6.

In the bottom of the sixth, after allowing two hits, Breanna Izzo threw two straight strikeouts and caused a flyout to send it to the final inning for Army to try and tie or take the lead.

In the top of the seventh, Maisi Sigler walked and Maaika Dones came in to pitch run. Dones would go on to steal second and then Sam Rodgers walked as well. Samantha Sims also walked, loading the bases from Army.

Taylor Brown, the next batter, would fly out to right field, allowing Maaika Dones to score, making it a one-run game at 5-6 in UC Riverside's favor. Then a back-to-back pop-up and fly-out ended the game, cutting the Black Knights comeback attempt short. Amanda Eaglin was given the loss.

NEXT UP

The Black Knights finish out their Southern California Tour on Sunday, remaining in Riverside for another doubleheader tomorrow. First, Army will play at the California Baptist Lancers, then take on San Diego State Aztecs.

The first pitch against the Lancers is set for 3 p.m. ET, with the next game against San Diego State set for a 5:30 p.m. ET first pitch. The first game against CBU will air on ESPN+.