Army Picks Up Two Shutouts In Spring Break Finale

Saturday, March 18

Clearwater, Fla.

2:30 PM

Army West Point

16-9

Florida A&M

5-21-1

Florida A&M

Army West Point

Army Picks Up Two Shutouts In Spring Break Finale

March 18, 2017 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Army West Point softball team picked up a pair of shutout wins over Florida A&M, 3-0, and Bethune-Cookman, 1-0, in its final day in Florida on Saturday.

The Black Knights improved to 17-9 on the season, while the Rattlers dropped to 5-21-1 and the Wildcats are now 9-22.

ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES

Army improved to 2-4 against the Rattlers and 2-0 against Bethune-Cookman in the all-time series.
This was the second time this season the Black Knights have won consecutive games by shutting out their opponents.
The Black Knights had a game without any errors for the sixth time this season in game one.
Army closed out its spring break trip with a record of 6-5.
Sophomore Kennedy Harrison got the starting nod for the first time this season against Florida A&M in right field.
Harrison recorded two hits on the day which brought her season average up to .333.
Senior Caroline Smith eclipsed the 500 innings pitched mark with a complete game shutout against Bethune-Cookman.
Smith documented her second shutout of the season while going the distance for the fifth time in 2017 in her team-leading sixth victory.
She made her 102nd appearance for the Black Knights, claiming sole possession of fifth place in program history.
Senior Kristen West had a hand in her second team shutout on the season by tossing six scoreless innings against FAMU.
Sophomore Ashley Yoo and senior Alee Rashenskas reached the 20 hit mark this season, joining freshman Emily Ballesteros as the only Cadets to do so.

LINEUP BREAKDOWN vs. FLORIDA A&M
Yoo (DP): 1-for-3 with 2 RBI
Esparza-Gallegos (SS): 0-for-3
Ballesteros (3B): 1-for-3
Ontiveros (C): 1-for-3
Rashenskas (2B): 1-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base
Harrison (RF): 1-for-3 with a run scored
Gates (LF): 0-for-1 with a walk and a hit by pitch
Gray (1B): 2-for-3 with a run scored

Trotter (PR): N/A

West (P): 0-for-2 with an RBI

Reilly (PH): 0-for-1
Poirier (P): N/A

McKinney (CF): N/A

West (P): 6.0 innings, five hits, two walks and two strikeouts
Poirier (P): 1.0 inning, 0 hits, 0 walks and one strikeout

FACTS & FIGURES

The Black Knights posted three runs on seven hits and no errors, while Florida A&M had no runs on five hits and no errors.

HOW IT HAPPENED vs. FLORIDA A&M

Kristen West came out of the gate on fire as the senior retired six of the first seven batters she faced.
The Black Knights put runners on second and third in the first inning, but needed to wait until the following frame to push across the first run.
Army put up a three-spot in the second that started with a leadoff single by Kennedy Harrison.
Izzy Gates walked and Emily Gray legged out an infield hit to load the bases for West, who plated Harrison on a groundout to short.
Designated player Ashley Yoo singled through the middle to drive in two more runs and create a cushion for the Black Knights.
The Rattlers recorded back-to-back hits to begin the top of the fourth inning before West settled in and set down the next three batters to get out of the jam.
In the following inning, FAMU had its leadoff batter reach base again before a heads up play at second by Alee Rashenskas allowed her to double-up the runner on first for the twin killing.

LINEUP BREAKDOWN vs. BETHUNE-COOKMAN
Yoo (DP): 1-for-3
Rashenskas (2B): 0-for-3
Ballesteros (3B): 1-for-2 with an RBI
Kim (C): 1-for-3
Harrison (RF): 1-for-3

Hartman (PR): N/A

Gray (1B): 0-for-2

Ontiveros (PH): 0-for-1

Smith (P): 0-for-3
Gates (LF): 0-for-1

Riccoboni (PH): 0-for-1

Esparza-Gallegos (SS): 0-for-2
McKinney (CF): Stolen base

West (P): 7.0 innings, five hits, 0 runs, 0 walks and 0 strikeouts

FACTS & FIGURES

Army scored one run on four hits and committed two errors, while Bethune-Cookman had no runs on five hits and one error.

HOW IT HAPPENED vs. BETHUNE-COOKMAN

The first hit of the game came in the bottom of the second inning when Bethune-Cookman's cleanup hitter reached on a bunt single.
Caroline Smith was able to still face the minimum number of batters that inning, however, as a 4-6-3 double play negated the hit.
Army documented the game's first inning with more than three batters as the designated visitors pushed across the only run of the game in the fourth inning.
Ashley Yoo led off with a single before Tyler McKinney took over on the base paths.
The senior outfielder stole second and advanced to third on a defensive blunder that had no Wildcats covering the bag.
Freshman Emily Ballesteros scored her on a sacrifice fly to center to give Army the 1-0 advantage.
The Wildcats had a runner on third in the sixth inning, but were unable to push across the game-tying run.
A leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh was negated when, after a failed sacrifice attempt, Maddie Kim fired a strike to second from behind the plate for the second out of the inning.