Softball Claims 11-4 Win Over Lafayette in Game One of the Weekend

Saturday, April 26

Easton, Pa.

1:00 PM

Army West Point

28-20, 11-2

Lafayette

7-26, 5-8

Army

Lafayette

Softball Claims 11-4 Win Over Lafayette in Game One of the Weekend

April 26, 2025 | Softball

Box Score

EASTON, Pa. – Army West Point softball (28-20, 11-2 Patriot League) delivered an exciting 11-4 win over the Lafayette Leopards (7-26, 5-8 Patriot League) on the road with nine runs in the final two innings to claim the first win of the weekend.

Army's offense was on fire against the Leopards, recording 15 hits compared to Lafayette's eight. The Black Knights were more patient than the home team at the plate, earning three walks to the Leopards' one.

The Black Knights' pitchers went to work in Easton, dealing out four strikeouts while none of Army's batters struck out on Saturday.

Taylor Brown led the Black Knights in runs with three along with an RBI, followed closely by Annie Christiana, Leila Hurst, and Samantha Sims with two runs each. Ashton White and Breanna Coonfare led Army in RBI with three each along with two runs for Christiana and one run for Coonfare.

Katelyn Flanders and Breanna Izzo were a dream team in the circle for Army, clocking 3.2 and 3.1 innings pitched with a 1.91 ERA and a 2.10 ERA respectively. Both pitchers earned a pair of strikeouts to help the Black Knights hold the Leopards to just eight hits in the contest.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Black Knights jumped out to a hot start as Annie Christiana and Taylor Brown both drew walks off of Lafayette's Makayla Leckey to give Army two runners on base. Ashton White knocked a double into left field to advance Brown to third base as Christiana was tagged out at home plate.

Army scored the first run of the game seconds later as Caitlyn Newburn grounded out to second base to give Brown time to cross home plate before a ground out for Emma Murchison sent the Black Knights into the field.

The Leopards got a runner on base in the bottom of the first, but the Black Knights' defense delivered on a swinging strikeout to catch Lafayette's base runner stealing at second base to maintain their 1-0 lead heading into the second frame.

Leila Hurst knocked a single down the right field line as Army's second batter in the top of the second, advancing to second base on a bobbled ground ball from the Leopards' shortstop on a Sienna Tepley swing to the left. Lafayette sent the Black Knights away scoreless in the second frame seconds later with a tag out at third base.

Army quickly collected two outs in their second frame in the field, but a hit-by-pitch gave Lafayette their second runner on base of the game. A pop-fly in the in infield pulled down by Hurst held the Leopards scoreless once again and the game moved into the top of the third.

Brown snuck a single up the middle past the Leopards' short stop and second baseman on the first pitch of the frame and advanced on a strong hit from Newburn that ended up as a ground out to Lafayette's second baseman.

Emma Murchison put some heat on her second at-bat of the game, knocking a single to right field and advancing on a fielding error by the Leopards' right fielder and sending Brown across home plate for her second run of the game.

Lafayette broke onto the board, putting two runners on base with a walk and a single up the middle before finding the scoreboard as a slow rolling ball that flirted with the third base foul line gave the Leopards time to each advance a base. The throw from first base flew over Murchison's reach and the Leopards scored their first run of the game as the Black Knights collected themselves and ended the third frame 2-1.

Sienna Tepley got Army on base with two outs on the board in the top of the fourth as her fly ball to left field eluded Lafayette's left fielder, giving her time to advance to second base before a quick hit from Christiana was collected and thrown to first by the Leopards' second baseman to send the game to the bottom of the fourth.

Lafayette tied things up in the bottom of the fourth, putting two runners on base and loading the bases seconds later as a bunt in front of pitcher Katelyn Flanders pulled the infield and left first base unprotected to allow the Leopards' batter to take first base.

The Leopards took a 3-2 lead as a hit over Ashton White's head and into left field sent two runs across home plate for the home team. Breanna Izzo then stepped into the circle for the Black Knights and dealt a fly out to Maisi Sigler in right field to bring Army back to the plate.

Much like the weather that previously predicted rain throughout the day, the Black Knights' bats heated up in the sixth inning after a scoreless fifth frame for both teams.

Leila Hurst reached first base on a fielder's choice that put out Sam Bocis as a pinch runner for Sigler. She then advanced to second on a single from Samantha Sims.

Both Hurst and Sims crossed home plate to take Army back into the lead on a massive double from Breanna Coonfare that went all the way to the outfield wall in right-center field to give Army the 4-3 edge.

Coonfare herself then crossed home plate as Annie Christiana knocked a single up the middle, giving Lafayette's left fielder enough trouble on the collection that Coonfare had time to score a run in her first at-bat of the day.

The Black Knights took a 6-3 lead as Ashton White knocked a double down the left field line for her 33^rd RBI of the season as she gave Christiana just enough time to beat the throw to home plate and give Army its largest lead of the game.

Army held the Leopards to a three up, three down inning for the bottom of the sixth, stepping back into the batter's box in the top of the seventh hungry to expand their lead.

Sigler, Hurst, and Sophie Smith gave Army a bases-loaded opportunity with just one out on the board. The Black Knights exploded into action with four consecutive RBI at-bats, beginning with a RBI single from Coonfare that flew down the right field line, advancing the runners around and sending Sigler across home plate.

Hurst crossed home plate next for the Black Knights as Christiana knocked a single up the middle to advance the runners around before Brown sent a single to right field that sent Sims home. With the play slow to develop, the runners sought to advance once more on the throw, but the Leopards tagged Coonfare out at home and left Christiana and Brown on third and second base respectively.

Ashton White sent a ball flying into the left field that gave time for both Christiana and Brown time to score before she was put out at second base after securing Army's 11-3 lead through the top of the seventh inning.

Lafayette looked to cut into Army's advantage with a run in the bottom of the inning, but the Black Knights closed in on defense and delivered a pair of ground outs to end the game and earn the 11-4 game one win for Army.

ON DECK
The Black Knights will play the doubleheader of their series against the Leopards in Easton, Pa. on Sunday, Apr. 27^th. The first game is set for 12:00p.m. ET and will be available for fans to watch on ESPN+.