Smith, Rashenskas Captain Black Knights to Victory

Saturday, April 22

West Point, N.Y.

12 PM

Army West Point

29-16, 8-5

Bucknell

23-13, 6-4

Bucknell

Army West Point

Smith, Rashenskas Captain Black Knights to Victory

April 22, 2017 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Army West Point softball team swept Saturday's doubleheader against Bucknell, 2-0 and 3-1, behind stellar performances from senior co-captains Caroline Smith and Alee Rashenskas at the Army Softball Complex.

The Black Knights improved to 30-16 overall and 9-5 in the Patriot League, while the Bison dropped to 23-14 on the season and 6-5 in league play.

Smith was masterful in her best outing of the year, needing just 72 pitches in her complete game one-hitter. After retiring the first nine batters she faced, the Chino Hills, Calif., native allowed her only hit of the afternoon on a bloop single to Carolyn Wan to lead off the fourth. She was the only Bison to reach base in the series opener as the right fielder was hit by a pitch in the sixth.

The Bison threw one of the top pitchers in the Patriot League against Army's senior right-hander as rookie Raeanne Geffert toed the rubber for the Bison in game one, however she did not see the same success that Smith did. While it took the Black Knights until the sixth inning to get on the board, there were plenty of opportunities for the Black and Gold to score throughout the game.

Starting in the first inning, the Cadets had runners on second and third with one out thanks to an Alee Rashenskas double and a Kennedy Harrison single. Army had another pair of runners on base in the second as Lacey Swafford and Izzy Gates both reached.

Rashenskas nearly gave Army its first lead of the day as she doubled high off the wall in left center field in the third for her second extra-base hit of the game. That lead would not come until the sixth inning when Swafford drove in Mae Wadyka on a triple down the right field line for the game's first run. Wadyka entered the contest as a pinch runner for Emily Ballesteros who led off with a single. Swafford would score three batters later on a Gates single.

The Black Knights started the scoring a lot quicker in the nightcap, putting up a two-spot in the bottom of the first thanks to an illegal pitch that plated Rashenskas, who led off the inning with a walk, and a Ballesteros single that plated Harrison.

Bucknell answered with their first run of the series in the third inning when Anna Gimmestad drove in Ryanne Rokos with a single up the middle.

Army an insurance run in the fifth inning as Rashenskas reached base for the fifth time in the twin bill on a single through the left side that scored Kim. That would be all the help Renee Poirier would need, as she earned her 12th win of the season to complete the doubleheader sweep.

ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES

Army has won 30 or more games for the seventh time in program history and fifth under head coach Michelle DePolo.
The Black Knights climb to 56-35 in the all-time series against Bucknell.
Alee Rashenskas reached base in five of her six plate appearances on the day with three hits and two walks.
Rashenskas and rookie Lacey Swafford joined Ashley Yoo as the only Cadets with 40 or more hits this season.
Caroline Smith won her ninth game of the season in her eighth complete game.
The shutout was her fourth of the year and 10th of her career.
Renee Poirier dropped her season ERA to 1.97 after going the distance for the 12th time this year.
Poirier's 12 wins sets a new single season personal best.
Paige Montgomery made her collegiate debut, earning the starting nod at designated player in game one.

KEY MOMENT

Rookie Lacey Swafford laced a ball inside the first base bag that rolled all the way to the wall, allowing her to triple in Army's first run in game one.

LINEUP BREAKDOWN
GAME ONE
Yoo (RF): 0-for-4
Rashenskas (2B): 2-for-2 with a walk and two doubles
Harrison (SS): 2-for-3 with a stolen base
Ontiveros (1B): 0-for-3
Ballesteros (3B): 1-for-3

Wadyka (PR): One run scored

Swafford (LF): 1-for-3 with a triple, run scored and an RBI
Montgomery (DP): 0-for-3
Kim (C): 1-for-3 with a double
Gates (CF): 2-for-3 with an RBI

McKinney (PR): One stolen base

Smith (P): 7.0 innings, one hit, 0 runs (earned), 0 walks and two strikeouts

GAME TWO
Rashenskas (2B): 1-for-2 with a walk, run scored and an RBI
Swafford (LF): 0-for-2

McKinney (PR): N/A

Harrison (SS): 1-for-3 with a run scored
Ballesteros (3B): 1-for-2 with a hit by pitch and an RBI
Yoo (RF): 0-for-2
Ontiveros (1B): 0-for-2

Hartman (PH): 0-for-1

Gray (DP): 0-for-2 with a stolen base

Riccoboni (PH): 0-for-1

Kim (C): 1-for-2 with a double and a run scored
Gates (CF): 1-for-2

Poirier (P): 7.0 innings, six hits, one run (earned), three walks and three strikeouts

FACTS & FIGURES

In game one, Army scored two runs on nine hits and recorded a clean sheet defensively, while the Bison were held scoreless on just one hit and committed one error.
In game two, the Black Knights plated three runs on five hits and had two errors, while Bucknell scored once on six hits and three errors.

UP NEXT

The Black Knights will honor seniors Alee Rashenskas, Tyler McKinney, Michaela Hoover, Caroline Smith and Kristen West, along with sophomore transfer Kennedy Harrison, prior to their final game at the Army Softball Complex Sunday.
The senior day ceremony will begin at 11:45 a.m., with the game slated to begin at noon.