Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
25-17, 0
Holy Cross
7-27, 0
Softball Claims Rubber Match Victory Over Holy Cross
April 14, 2025 | Softball
WEST POINT, N.Y. — Army West Point Softball (25-17, 8-1) claimed their rubber match game at home on Monday, defeating the Holy Cross Crusaders (7-27, 1-8), 4-1.
With the victory, the Black Knights win the series against Holy Cross 2-1, and now only sit one game back from league-leading Boston University.
The freshman led the offense for the Black Knights, with Maisi Sigler leading the charge with two hits and Breanna Coonfare adding one hit with two RBIs, a base-clearing double to put Army on the board in the fifth inning. Annie Christiana and Ashton White also added one hit and one RBI each.
Katelyn Flanders received the starting nod and earned the win for the Black Knights, finishing the game only allowing one run off three hits and two walks while also having three strikeouts.
How It Happened
In the first inning, the Crusaders earned a double off of starter Katelyn Flanders, but three putouts from the Black Knights left the runner stranded. Meanwhile, the Black Knights went three-and-out, keeping the score at 0-0 after one inning.
To start the second inning, the Crusaders went three-and-out, with the Black Knights forcing a pop-up and two groundouts. In the bottom of the inning, the Black Knights went three and out in three pitches, sending the game to the third inning.
The Black Knights earned their first hit in the bottom of the third, with Leila Hurst hitting a single to center field. Samantha Sims would reach on a fielder's choice, and she was ultimately left on the base pads.
Back to Flanders and the Black Knights defense, the unit forced a three-and-out in both the top of the third and the top of the third, sending the game to the bottom of the fourth inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, Army once again went three-and-out, and after four innings, both teams remained scoreless.
The Crusaders would add their second hit of the day with a lead-off single, with the runner then stealing second. But the Black Knights held strong, keeping the Crusaders runless through five innings.
Army made its move in the five inning, scoring four runs on five hits, giving Army a 4-0 lead by the end of the fifth inning.
After starting the inning with a strikeout, Maisi Sigler started the barrage of hits in the inning with a triple to center field but ultimately was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice. Then with two outs, the scoring began.
Samantha Sims started a single to second base, advancing Hurst to second. Hurst was then replaced by Sam Bocis as a base runner. Bocis and Sims then advance to second and third on a wild pitch.
Breanna Coonfare then hit a base clearing, two-out double to center field to send Bocis and Sims home to give Army a 2-0 lead.
Annie Christiana followed Coonfare with a single to left center, sending Coonfare home to give Army a 3-0 lead.
Taylor Brown drew a walk at the next at bat, then Ashton White added to her strong series against the Crusaders with an RBI single to center field, giving Army its 4-0 lead. Brown and White were left on base, but the damage against Holy Cross had been done.
Flanders and the Black Knight's defense continued to stifle Holy Cross's offense in the sixth inning. Maisi Sigler earned another hit with a single to right field, then Samantha Sims reached on a fielder's choice, but was left stranded, sending the game into the final frame.
The Crusaders started the inning and drew a walk, then two batters later, Holy Cross knocked a triple to bring in the first run of the game for the Crusaders. But the rally came too late, with Flanders forcing a strikeout and Breanna Coonfare catching the last flyout to end the game and give Army their rubber match win.
ON DECK
Up next, the Black Knights play their final nonleague play series of the season as they head to New Rochelle, New York, to take on the Iona University Gaels.
Army leads the series between the two teams 8-4, winning the last seven matchups, including most recently, sweeping a doubleheader New Rochelle in 2019.
The Wednesday midweek doubleheader in New Rochelle will begin at 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., with both games streaming on the Iona Insider.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Flanders, Katelyn (7-3)
L: J.Goedel (3-11)
Batting:
2B: C.Thibault 1
3B: J.Whipple 1
RBI: J.Whipple 1
Base Running:
RUNS: M.Kane 1
SB: J.Whipple 1
Batting:
2B: Coonfare, Breanna 1
3B: Sigler, Maisi 1
RBI: Christiana, Annie 1 ; White, Ashton 1 ; Coonfare, Breanna 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Christiana, Annie 1 ; Bocis, Sam 1 ; Sims, Samantha 1 ; Coonfare, Breanna 1
SB: Sims, Samantha 1
