Army Splits Series-Opening DH at Lafayette

Saturday, March 30

Easton, Pa.

12 PM

Army West Point

14-18, 3-1

Lafayette

2-21-1, 0-4

Army

Lafayette

Army Splits Series-Opening DH at Lafayette

March 30, 2019 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

EASTON, Pa. – The Army West Point softball team opened its first road series of Patriot League play by splitting a doubleheader at Lafayette on Saturday afternoon.

The Black Knights came out victorious in game one with a 3-1 win before the Leopards answered with a 4-3 decision in the night cap.

Rookie Madi Gilmore and sophomore Ally Snelling paced the Army offense on the day as each compiled three hits on the afternoon. Snelling recorded a double and a home run, while driving in two of Army's six runs. Gilmore added the team's only other extra-base hit with a double. Senior Ashley Yoo, sophomores Taylor Drayton and Taylor Livingston and rookie Bianca Gonzalez also contributed multiple hits opposite the Leopards.

In the circle, rookie Jolie Duong got the Black Knights off on the right foot with another solid performance. The Houston, Texas, native scattered five hits over her 7.0 innings of work while allowing just one run (earned) and issuing one free pass. She struck out seven, marking the third time in her last four outings that Duong has struck out at least six. Junior Macey Newbary tossed a complete game in the second game of the afternoon.

GAME 1: Army 3, Lafayette 1
HOW IT HAPPENED

Army struck first as an attempted double steal allowed Taylor Drayton to open the scoring in the second inning.
Yoo added an insurance run in the following inning as her RBI single plated Tessa Leman to make it a 2-0 game.
In the sixth inning, Snelling blasted her first collegiate home run to push the visitor's advantage to three runs.
Lafayette responded in the home half of the inning to break the shutout on an infield single by Erin Scott with the bases loaded.

ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES

Army stole at least three bases for the 10th time in 2019.
Snelling slugged her first career homer.
The Las Vegas, Nev., native became the fourth Cadet to reach the 20-hit mark this season.
She recorded her 50th-career hit in the game.
Yoo tallied her team-leading eighth multi-hit game of the year.
Duong threw her 10th complete game of the season.
The Houston, Texas, native reached the 100 innings mark on the year.

GAME 2: Lafayette 4, Army 3
HOW IT HAPPENED

Army once again jumped out to an early lead, this time taking a two-run advantage in the first inning.
Gonzalez singled in Carrie Reilly to open the scoring before a Katie Ontiveros fielder's choice allowed Drayton to cross the plate.
The Leopards responded in the bottom of the inning to cut the lead in half as a Scott fielder's choice scored Paige Grover.
They later tied the game in the third inning before a two-run fourth handed the home side its first lead of the afternoon at 4-2.
Snelling came through once again for the Black Knights with an RBI double in the fifth that permitted Drayton to score for the second time today, but that would be as close as Army would get as Lafayette hung on for the win.

ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES

Snelling added her seventh multi-hit game of the year, the second-most on the team.
She contributed her sixth double of the season to tie Gonzalez for the team lead.
It was her 10th career double.
Gilmore posted her third multi-hit effort of the season.
Newbary was penciled into her 10th start of the year.
Drayton scored her team-leading 15th run of the season.

COACH'S CORNER

Interim head coach Bob Beretta – "I'm very disappointed we were not able to complete the sweep today. We continue to fall one or two plays shy of flipping results. We had the Lafayette pitcher in trouble in the first inning and let a major opportunity to hang a big number on the scoreboard get away from us. That really came back to hurt us. We were unable to take advantage of scoring opportunities throughout the game. That's been a consistent theme in most of our losses this year.
"We received a well-pitched game from Jolie (Duong) in the first game. And Ally Snelling hit a big home run to give us a late insurance run. Madi Gilmore was a bright spot offensively for us as well. It was nice to see her break out a little today. Hopefully, we will come back strong with the proper mindset to come away with the series win tomorrow."

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