Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
Holy Cross
Softball Sees 1-1 Doubleheader Split at Home Against Holy Cross
April 13, 2025 | Softball
WEST POINT, N.Y. — Army West Point Softball (24-17, 7-1) split its doubleheader at the Army Softball Complex on Sunday against the Holy Cross Crusaders (7-26, 1-7).
In the first game of the series, the Black Knight nearly came back from a 6-0 deficit, ultimately falling just short, losing their first game in Patriot League play against the Crusaders, 6-5.
Taylor Brown led the Black Knights hitting efforts in game one, earning three hits while hitting .750 in the game, while also earning one RBI. Annie Christiana and Ashton White added two hits and one RBI each.
Breanna Izzo, Libby Levendowski and Amanda Eaglin shared the pitching efforts in game one, with Izzo and Eaglin each pitching 3.1 innings. Eaglin led the three batters with two strikeouts with only two hits allowed and two strikeouts. Ultimately, Izzo took the loss.
In game two, the Black Knights turned the tides, taking a 6-0 shutout win over the Crusaders. Army scored one run in the first inning, three runs in the second inning, one more run each in the fourth and the fifth inning to claim the win.
Ashton White led the offense in the game, earning three hits and two RBIs. Caitlyn Newburn also added two hits, one five Black Knights, Annie Christiana, Taylor Brown, Breanna Coonfare, Samantha Sims and Tayten Moore, each added one hit.
Katelyn Flanders led the pitching efforts in game two, pitching a complete game shutout with six strikeouts while only allowing two hits and one walk.
GAME 1
To start game one, both the Crusaders and the Black Knights went three and out, sending the game into the second inning.
Both teams hit doubles in the second inning, with Taylor Brown earning the double for the Black Knights, but neither team was able to turn the hit into a run.
The Crusaders scored their first run in the top of the third inning. Holy Cross started the inning with a single, then advanced the runner to third. Then the Crusaders hit an RBI double to get the first run of the day on the board.
Meanwhile, in the bottom of the third, Army went three and out for the second time in the game, making it a 1-0 game heading into the fourth inning.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Crusaders scored five runs off of four hits and one error, making it a 6-0 game midway through the fourth inning.
The hitting got going at the second at-bat for Holy Cross, with the Crusaders knocking a single through the left side. Then, Libby Levendowski entered the game as relief for Izzo.
Then the Black Knights allowed a stolen base, a walk, a runner to reach on an error, a single, a hit by pitch and a double to make it a 4-0 game, while only gaining one out. Then Amanda Eaglin came in as relief, then the Crusaders capped off the inning with a two-RBI single, making it a 6-0 game.
Army finally got its first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Annie Christiana reached with a single and advanced to second on an error, then Ashton White hit a double, sending Christiana home, making it a 6-1 game.
Eaglin and the Black Knights forced the Crusaders into a three-and-out in the top of the fifth, then the Black Knights continued to chip away in the bottom of the fifth, making it a 3-6 deficit.
Maisi Sigler started the inning with a leadoff single, then was replaced by Sam Bocis as a pinch runner. Maaika Dones then was able to reach on a throwing error by the third basemen, advancing Bocis. Then Maaika Dones stole second, allowing Sam Bocis to advance home for a run.
Annie Christiana then added a single, then another error by the Crusaders allowed Christiana and Dones to advance to give Army another run.
In the top of the sixth inning, the Crusader hit another single but left the runner stranded on the base paths. Then Army would score two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it a 6-5 game.
Ashton White hit a lead-off single, then Caitlyn Newburn added a walk. Taylor Brown then would hit an RBI single to left field, allowing White to score and Newburn to advance to second. Maisi Sigler then advanced Brown and Newburn on a ground out.
Leila Hurst then hit an RBI single then advanced to second, Taylor Brown advanced to third and Caityn Newburn was able to run home, making it a 6-5 game.
Maaika Dones would follow suit with a single, loading the bases, but then the next two Army batters fouled out and grounded out, leaving three runners left on base.
One Crusader would reach base on an error in the top of the seventh, but was left stranded, giving Army three outs to try to complete its rally.
To start the bottom of the seventh, the Black Knights saw two flyouts to the outfield. Caitlyn Newburn then singled to second base, putting the game-tying run on base.
Then Taylor Brown hit a double, allowing Newburn to run home, but the Crusaders were able to relay the ball from left field to third base to the catcher, throwing Newburn out, ending the game, giving Army its first league play loss of the year.
GAME 2
Katelyn Flanders and the Black Knights' defense forced a ground out and fly out to start the game, then the Crusaders got their first of two hits of the game with a double. Flanders earned her strikeout to end the top of the inning.
Army scored its first run in the first inning, making it a 1-0 game. Annie Christiana hit a lead-off single but was then put out at second. Two batters later, Ashton White hit her first single to get on base. Caitlyn Newburn then added a third hit in the inning, advancing White to third.
Maisi Sigler then reached on a fielding error from first base, allowing White to score to give Army the one-run lead.
The Black Knights and Flanders forced a three-and-out in the top of the second inning, including Flanders earning her second strikeout. Then Army would score three runs off three hits and one error, to grow their lead to 4-0.
Breanna Coonfare started the inning reaching on an error by second base. Samantha Sims would then execute a bunt single, advancing Coonfare to second.
Then Tayten Moore added the second bunt single of the inning, then was able to advance to second, allowing Sims to advance to third and for Coonfare to score.
Taylor Brown hit a ground out to the shortstop, ultimately allowing Samantha Sims to score, making it a 3-0 game.
Ashton White earned the final run of the inning, hitting an RBI single up the middle, allowing Tayten Moore to score, giving Army a substantial 4-0 lead.
The third inning went quick, with the Crusaders going three-and-out, with Flanders earning another strikeout, and Hurst earning a walk.
Holy Cross got its final hit of the day in the fourth inning with a single, but ultimately left one runner stranded. Army would score another run in the bottom of the fourth inning, making it a 5-0 game.
Taylor Brown got a two-out double to get on base, and then Ashton White hit a single to left field allowing Brown to score.
The Black Knights forced the Crusaders to go three-and-out again in the fifth inning. Army would strike again in the bottom of the inning, scoring one run off with one hit and one error in the inning, leaving two on base, making it a 6-0 game.
Maisi Sigler started the inning on base after being hit by a pitch, then was replaced by Sam Bocis as a pinch runner. She was able to steal second base, then advanced to third off a throwing error from the Holy Cross catcher.
Leila Hurst then grounded out to first base but gave enough time for Sam Bocis to score the final run of the game.
Breanna Coonfare then singled to left field, then advanced to second base on a stolen base. Samantha Sims then forced a walk. Tayten Moore reached on a fielder's choice, but the two were left on base.
In the sixth inning, the Crusaders were forced into another three-and-out, featuring another strikeout from Katelyn Flanders. Caitlyn Newburn would add another hit, singling down the right field line, but was left on base.
In the top of the seventh, the Crusaders were able to draw a walk, but the Black Knights did not allow the runner to advance, then Flanders ended the inning with her sixth strikeout of the day, giving Army the 6-0 win.
ON DECK
Up next, the Black Knights will face off against the Crusaders again on Monday, with the game serving as Army's first rubber match in league play this season.
Army and Holy Cross will face off on Monday at 11 a.m., with the game streaming live on ESPN+.
