Softball Falls to Iowa, Mercer During Second Day of MUSB Invitational

Saturday, February 14

Macon, Ga.

10 a.m.

Army West Point

2--6

Iowa

6-2

Iowa

Army

Softball Falls to Iowa, Mercer During Second Day of MUSB Invitational

February 14, 2026 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

MACON, Ga. — Army West Point softball (2-7) saw another two losses at the MUSB Invitational, dropping game one to the University of Iowa Hawkeyes (6-2), 2-8, before falling to tournament host, the Mercer University Bears (6-1), 3-5.

Ashton White led the Black Knights' offense on day two, totaling three hits and four RBIs combined against the Hawkeyes and Bears.

Taylor Brown also added two hits, with Caitlyn Newburn, Mia Bonsignore, Breanna Coonfare, Sienna Tepley and Makaila Moosbrugger each adding one hit of their own.

Defensively, Amanda Eaglin led the Black Knights, finishing the day with one start on two appearances, pitching seven total innings, only allowing three runs. Breanna Izzo got the start against the Bears, with Katelyn Flanders and Ashlyn Wright both seeing action as relief against Iowa.

Eaglin was the pitcher of record against Iowa, while Izzo was the pitcher of record against Mercer, both receiving losses.

GAME 1

The Black Knights only allowed one on in the first inning, with Amanda Eaglin sending the batter to the bottom of the inning with a strikeout.

Meanwhile, Army got two on in the bottom of the first, with Ashton White knocking a single to left center and Caitlyn Newburn drawing a walk, but both were left on base.

The second inning went by quickly, with both teams going three and out, with Amanda Eaglin scoring her second strikeout of the day.

Iowa did major damage in the top of the third inning, taking a 4-0 lead over the Black Knights.

After Eaglin led off the inning, recording her third strikeout, the Hawkeyes hit a single up the middle, then followed it up with a home run through center field to take a 2-0 lead.

Eaglin allowed a walk the next at bat, then was replaced by Katelyn Flanders. Despite the new pitcher, Iowa's bats stayed hot, with the first batter faced hitting a home run off Flanders, making it a 4-0 game.

The Black Knights were unable to respond in the bottom of the third, going three and out to send it to the top of the fourth.

In the top of the fourth, the Black Knights got into a jam, with three singles loading the bases with only one out recorded.

During the next at bat, the Black Knights saved a run, with Taylor Brown fielding a fielder's choice, throwing the ball to home plate, where Emma Murchison stopped the runner from scoring. The next at bat resulted in a fly out, getting Flanders and the Black Knights out of the bases-loaded jam.

The Black Knights began to see more action on the base paths in the bottom of the fourth.

Ashton White drew a walk, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Caitlyn Newburn then singled to right field with no outs on the board. Then the inning was cut short with a strikeout and a double play to send it to the fifth inning.

The Hawkeyes added another hit at the top of the fifth and had another reach by a hit by pitch, but the Black Knights forced them to be left stranded.

In the bottom of the inning, the Black Knights scratched their first two runs across the board.

After two outs, Annie Christiana walked, and Taylor Brown hit a single to right field to advance into scoring position. Then Ashton White singled to center field, sending both runners home for a two-RBI single to make it a 4-2 game.

Each team earned a single in the sixth inning, with Mia Bonsignore singling to right center for the Black Knights, but neither team converted it into runs, sending the game to the final inning.

The Hawkeyes grew their lead at the top of the seventh, sending back-to-back home runs to center field to open the inning, forcing Army to make a pitching change to the freshman Ashlyn Wright.

Once Wright entered, the Hawkeyes drew a walk, then Wright added her first strikeout of the game. Iowa added a single, then a double steal that included a steal of home to make it a 7-2 game with two outs in the inning.

Iowa drew another walk, then knocked another single, this time towards third base to make it an 8-2 game. A groundout brought the inning to a close, giving Army three outs to cut into the six-run lead.

To open the bottom of the seventh, Sienna Tepley fouled out to the third baseman. Then Annie Christiana fouled out the first baseman. On Army's final out, Taylor Brown flied out to center field, ending the game at a 2-8 Army loss.

GAME 2

Army began the game at the top of the first inning but was quickly stifled by Mercer's pitching. Sienna Tepley grounded out to first base, Taylor Brown drew a walk and then stole second base, but Ashton White struck out looking, and Caitlyn Newburn fouled out to first, leaving one runner on base with no score. Mercer's half of the first produced only a single by Olivia Lenzen, with no runs scored, keeping the game tied 0-0.

In the second inning, Army's offense again struggled, going three up, three down. Maisi Sigler flied out to right, Breanna Coonfare grounded out from third to first, and Mia Bonsignore grounded out the same way, leaving the bases empty.

Mercer, however, erupted in their half. Isabel Fernandez reached on a fielder's choice and stole both second and third bases, setting up Meredith Wayland, who hit a two-run homer. Mercer then scored additional runs through a combination of errors, walks, and singles, including a two-run single and a scoring steal of home on a subsequent play. Mercer tallied five runs in the inning, making the score 5-0.

Army finally got on the board at the top of the third. Micaela Garcia drew a walk, then Sienna Tepley singled to left, advancing Garcia to second. Taylor Brown followed with a single to third base, moving Tepley to second and Garcia to third.

Ashton White then delivered a clutch two-RBI single, scoring both Garcia and Tepley. Caitlyn Newburn walked to keep the inning alive, but Maisi Sigler lined out to first to end the threat. This cut Mercer's lead to 5-2.

Mercer's bottom half produced no runs, with Fernandez reaching base via a walk and stealing second, but ultimately left one runner stranded.

In the fourth inning, Army began to chip away. Breanna Coonfare doubled deep to left field and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Mia Bonsignore. Hannah Laub pinch-hit for Sam Rodgers and drew a walk, then stole second base. Tepley also walked, and on a wild pitch, Coonfare scored, Laub moved to third, and Tepley to second, bringing Army's total to three runs.

Brown flied out to left to end the inning. Mercer failed to score in their half, leaving Army within two at 5-3.

Army was unable to generate offense in the fifth, leaving Sigler hit by a pitch but failing to score. Mercer had runners reach via a single and a throwing error, but did not add to their total.

In the sixth, Emma Murchison pinch-hit for Rodgers and singled to center, but Army could not bring her home. Mercer's offense remained quiet, with a single and a double play keeping the score at 5-3.

In the seventh inning, Army put a runner on base with Makaila Moosbrugger's pinch-hit single, who was then replaced by Annie Christiana as a pinch runner. Sigler grounded out to end the threat, leaving one on base, and the game concluded with Army falling 5-3.

ON DECK

Initially, the Black Knights were set to conclude their appearance at the MUSB Invitational on Sunday, taking on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, but due to weather, that game has been canceled.

Next up, the Black Knights head to the Lone Star State for the Texan Classic. They will head to Stephenville, Texas, to take on Tulsa, Pitt, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and tournament host, Tarleton State.

The tournament begins on February 20 and runs through Feb. 22, with Army's game against host Tarleton State on Feb. 21 scheduled to stream live on WAC International.

FOLLOW ALONG

For complete coverage of Army West Point softball, follow the Black Knights on X and Instagram at @ArmyWP_Softball and online at www.goarmywestpoint.com.