Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
Rider
Softball Defeats Rider 10-3 At Rebel Spring Games
March 14, 2011 | Softball
Box Score
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Army's softball team rolled to a 10-3 decision over Rider in opening an eight-game slate at the Rebel Spring Games Monday. The win snapped a five-game losing streak as the Black Knights improved to 5-6.
Freshman Amanda Nguyen went 4-for-5 with two runs batted in and scored once, sophomore Alex Reynolds ripped a three-run homer, and plebe hurler Marina Northup (1-2) posted her first start and first collegiate win.
The Black Knights staked Northup to a quick 3-0 lead in the team's first at bat. Reynolds, batting in the third spot in the lineup, ripped a home run over the left field fence with Nguyen (single) and April Ortenzo (walk) on board. It is the second homer of the season for Reynolds, who boosted her team-leading RBI mark to 15.
Army added a single run with one out in the second inning when Reanna Johnson, who drew one of six walks off starter Kelsey Krisch, stole second base and scored on the catcher's overthrow to extend the Black Knights' lead to 4-0.
Rider battled back drawing to 4-3 with three unearned runs in the home half of the third inning after capitalizing on three hits, along with an error, with two outs. The Broncs ripped a pair of singles as they threatened again in the fourth inning with two outs, but North escaped a bases-loaded jam by getting Jen Steward to fly out to the left fielder.
Northup did not allow Rider into scoring position over the final three innings, scattering two hits and retiring nine of the final 12 batters she faced. The freshman left-hander yielded seven hits, along with a walk and strikeout, in earning her first win.
The Black Knights added four insurance runs on five hits batting around in the top of the fifth inning with Alexis AuBuchon smacking a double that drove in Rachael Duval and Northup, who reached on back-to-back fielder's choices, along with knocking out Krisch.
Nguyen singled home AuBuchon with two outs to close out the scoring, while Northup's fielder's choice RBI delivered Ortenzo, who beat out a hit back to the circle, for the first run as the Black Knights pulled ahead 8-3.
Army tacked on a run in the sixth and seventh innings with the former on a catcher's error on a strikeout and the latter on Nguyen's RBI single delivering Natalia Gruenbaum, who drew a walk off reliever Sam Bennett.
Army posted 10 runs off two Rider pitchers for its second highest total of the season, along with collecting 11 hits and 10 walks with Nguyen (4-for-5), Reynodls (2-for-4) and Johnson (2-for-2) collecting multiple hits.
The Black Knights, who donned a new black uniform in their debut at the Rebel Spring Games, take on FDU Teaneck in the second game.
