Army West Point Athletics
Sunday, May 11
Annapolis, Md.
1:00 PM
Army West Point
24-23
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Navy
26-24
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9
R
H
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Army
0
0
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13
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Navy
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13
4
Baseball Secures Spot in Championship Series Behind Extra Innings Thriller at Navy
May 11, 2025 | Baseball
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – On paper, the odds may have been against Army West Point Baseball going into Sunday.
But the Black Knights are no stranger to postseason heroics. And once again, the Black Knights prevailed when it mattered most.
Going into the day down 1-0 in the Patriot League Semifinal Series—and standing at 1-5 overall on the season against its arch-rival—Army won two games at Max Bishop Stadium in Annapolis to secure the playoff series and clinch a spot in next week's Patriot League Championship series.
While Army tied the series with relative ease early Sunday afternoon, the evening rubber matchup evolved into a heartstopper, reviving memories of the timeless duals in last season's matchups in the Star Series presented by USAA.
A high-scoring afternoon morphed into a pitchers' showdown between Army's Trey Ates and Navy's star closer Landon Kruer. The two relievers exchanged zeros on the scoreboard, but the senior from Dallas would ultimately be the pitcher who earned the win for his team, with six scoreless innings including the nightcap's ultimate 10th stanza.
Thomas Schreck walked with the bases loaded in the top of the extra inning, allowing Michael Delph to cross the plate as the winning run. Navy got the go-ahead run to the plate in the bottom of the inning, but a flyout to Addison Ainsworth proved to be the final page in a storybook ending.
Army's two wins Sunday were its 11th and 12th consecutive wins when facing elimination in the Patriot League Tournament, dating back to 2018.
Game 1 (Game 2 of the Series)
The Black Knights didn't record a baserunner until the second time through the order in the fourth inning, but once Chris Barr reached with a bunt single, it was all Army, as it scored in each follwing inning to prevail 13-2.
Starting pitcher Justin Lehman tossed a gritty, seven-inning appearance, with 142 total pitches, eclipsing his 129-pitch output vs. Navy in last season's star matchup April 26.
Lehman worked around some early trouble, stranding the bases loaded in the second and allowing a run in the third. However, the senior settled in, run support arrived, and he recorded six strikeouts and the win.
Down 1-0 after three innings, Army tied the contest in the fourth when William Parker grounded into a double play. The Black Knights would then take the lead the following inning, when a throwing error by the Navy pitcher to first base allowed Barr to reach, and Schreck and Zac Farrell to score.
Army scored five in the sixth inning to create separation. Farrell was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Coleson Titus plated two with an RBI single, and Barr drew an RBI walk before Ainsworth recorded a sacrifice fly to make it 8-1. Farrell then had a two-out RBI bloop single to right field to extend the Black Knights' lead to 9-1.
A Barr RBI double in the eighth followed by a Lehman sacrifice fly made it 11-1 in the eighth before Navy plated a run in the bottom of the inning.
Titus and Barr recorded RBIs in the ninth to put a bow tie on the contest.
Kaden Youmans pitched the final two innings in relief.
Game 2 (Game 3 of the Series)
Army's job was simpler in the finale. Win once. But simpler doesn't mean easier.
The contest remained tied 5-5 from the sixth into the 10th inning. But someone had to win and sing second, and that team proved to be Army.
Lehman walked to lead off the 10th, and Michael Delph singled to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. After John McKillop walked on four pitches, Coleson Titus grounded into a fielder's choice to force Lehman out at the plate. But in the next plate appearence, Schreck worked a free pass with the bases loaded to make it 6-5 Army. The result held.
Holding onto a 5-4 lead in the fifth, with a run already having crossed the plate in the frame, Ates entered the game, having taken a losing decision on the same playing surface back on March 16.
But records are reset entering the playoffs. For teams and individuals.
Ates surrendered a sacrifice fly to allow an inhered runner to score but otherwise recorded a clean inning, the first of six Sunday.
In the sixth, Navy put runners on second and third base with no outs, and had the bases loaded with two outs, but Ates nonetheless escaped the frame scoreless.
With Navy in position to potentially win on a walk-off in the ninth, the righty sat the Mids down to force extra innings.
Parker got the game started in style way back in the first, with a two-run home run off the scoreboard in left field.
After Navy tied the game with their own solo home run in the bottom of the first, Army retook the lead with a Lehman RBI triple in the third. Navy would tie the matchup again in the fourth before Lehman and Quinlan put the Black Knights back ahead with fifth inning RBI singles.
Bryce Brownlee got the start on the mound for Army, recording two innings before giving way to Robbie Penswick, who also pitched a pair of frames.
By the Numbers
15 & 13: Army stranded 15 Navy baserunners in the daycap and 13 in the nightcap.
13-12: The Black Knights won the daycap by 11 runs despite being outhit 13-12.
3-for-3: After turning in his 142-pitch effort in the daycap, Lehman was 3-for-3 with a pair of walks drawn in the nightcap.
15: Army's pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts across both games.
Black Knight Notes
Army used a starting pitcher in the DH spot for the fifth time this season in Game 1 Sunday, with Lehman slotting in as the starting P/DH for the fourth time this season (February 14 at UNA, February 21 at Wofford and February 28 at Air Force).
Barr stole one base Sunday, bringing his total for 2025 to 30, the first time an Army player has reached the 30-stolen base mark in a single season since Hunter Meade stole 32 bases in 2022.
Army sent 10 batters to the plate in the sixth inning of the daycap Sunday, the 10th time they've sent 10 or more to bat in an inning this year.
For the fifth time in 2025, Army recorded more runs (13) than hits (12) in Game 1 Sunday.
Army moved to 2-1 this season in extra inning games.
The all-time series between Army and Navy now stands tied at 136 wins each. Army is now 14-8 all-time vs. Navy in extra innings and is the program's fifth straight postseason series win over the Mids.
Sunday's nightcap was the first extra-inning affair between the academy rivals since a 2-1 Army win at West Point on April 3, 2023.
Sunday evening was Army's first extra innings Patriot League postseason game since May 10, 2008, in Game 1 of the semifinals vs. Bucknell.
Next Up
Army will travel to Holy Cross for the Patriot League Championship series. Game one of the best-of-three series is set for 1:00 p.m. Saturday, with Game 2 Sunday and Game 3 Monday if necessary.
Follow the Black Knights
Follow Army Baseball on X @ArmyWP_Baseball and on Instagram @armywp_baseball. Fans can also like Army West Point Athletics on Facebook and learn more about baseball and other programs at goarmywestpoint.com.
But the Black Knights are no stranger to postseason heroics. And once again, the Black Knights prevailed when it mattered most.
Going into the day down 1-0 in the Patriot League Semifinal Series—and standing at 1-5 overall on the season against its arch-rival—Army won two games at Max Bishop Stadium in Annapolis to secure the playoff series and clinch a spot in next week's Patriot League Championship series.
While Army tied the series with relative ease early Sunday afternoon, the evening rubber matchup evolved into a heartstopper, reviving memories of the timeless duals in last season's matchups in the Star Series presented by USAA.
A high-scoring afternoon morphed into a pitchers' showdown between Army's Trey Ates and Navy's star closer Landon Kruer. The two relievers exchanged zeros on the scoreboard, but the senior from Dallas would ultimately be the pitcher who earned the win for his team, with six scoreless innings including the nightcap's ultimate 10th stanza.
Thomas Schreck walked with the bases loaded in the top of the extra inning, allowing Michael Delph to cross the plate as the winning run. Navy got the go-ahead run to the plate in the bottom of the inning, but a flyout to Addison Ainsworth proved to be the final page in a storybook ending.
Army's two wins Sunday were its 11th and 12th consecutive wins when facing elimination in the Patriot League Tournament, dating back to 2018.
Game 1 (Game 2 of the Series)
The Black Knights didn't record a baserunner until the second time through the order in the fourth inning, but once Chris Barr reached with a bunt single, it was all Army, as it scored in each follwing inning to prevail 13-2.
Starting pitcher Justin Lehman tossed a gritty, seven-inning appearance, with 142 total pitches, eclipsing his 129-pitch output vs. Navy in last season's star matchup April 26.
Lehman worked around some early trouble, stranding the bases loaded in the second and allowing a run in the third. However, the senior settled in, run support arrived, and he recorded six strikeouts and the win.
Down 1-0 after three innings, Army tied the contest in the fourth when William Parker grounded into a double play. The Black Knights would then take the lead the following inning, when a throwing error by the Navy pitcher to first base allowed Barr to reach, and Schreck and Zac Farrell to score.
Army scored five in the sixth inning to create separation. Farrell was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Coleson Titus plated two with an RBI single, and Barr drew an RBI walk before Ainsworth recorded a sacrifice fly to make it 8-1. Farrell then had a two-out RBI bloop single to right field to extend the Black Knights' lead to 9-1.
A Barr RBI double in the eighth followed by a Lehman sacrifice fly made it 11-1 in the eighth before Navy plated a run in the bottom of the inning.
Titus and Barr recorded RBIs in the ninth to put a bow tie on the contest.
Kaden Youmans pitched the final two innings in relief.
Game 2 (Game 3 of the Series)
Army's job was simpler in the finale. Win once. But simpler doesn't mean easier.
The contest remained tied 5-5 from the sixth into the 10th inning. But someone had to win and sing second, and that team proved to be Army.
Lehman walked to lead off the 10th, and Michael Delph singled to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. After John McKillop walked on four pitches, Coleson Titus grounded into a fielder's choice to force Lehman out at the plate. But in the next plate appearence, Schreck worked a free pass with the bases loaded to make it 6-5 Army. The result held.
Holding onto a 5-4 lead in the fifth, with a run already having crossed the plate in the frame, Ates entered the game, having taken a losing decision on the same playing surface back on March 16.
But records are reset entering the playoffs. For teams and individuals.
Ates surrendered a sacrifice fly to allow an inhered runner to score but otherwise recorded a clean inning, the first of six Sunday.
In the sixth, Navy put runners on second and third base with no outs, and had the bases loaded with two outs, but Ates nonetheless escaped the frame scoreless.
With Navy in position to potentially win on a walk-off in the ninth, the righty sat the Mids down to force extra innings.
Parker got the game started in style way back in the first, with a two-run home run off the scoreboard in left field.
After Navy tied the game with their own solo home run in the bottom of the first, Army retook the lead with a Lehman RBI triple in the third. Navy would tie the matchup again in the fourth before Lehman and Quinlan put the Black Knights back ahead with fifth inning RBI singles.
Bryce Brownlee got the start on the mound for Army, recording two innings before giving way to Robbie Penswick, who also pitched a pair of frames.
By the Numbers
15 & 13: Army stranded 15 Navy baserunners in the daycap and 13 in the nightcap.
13-12: The Black Knights won the daycap by 11 runs despite being outhit 13-12.
3-for-3: After turning in his 142-pitch effort in the daycap, Lehman was 3-for-3 with a pair of walks drawn in the nightcap.
15: Army's pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts across both games.
Black Knight Notes
Army used a starting pitcher in the DH spot for the fifth time this season in Game 1 Sunday, with Lehman slotting in as the starting P/DH for the fourth time this season (February 14 at UNA, February 21 at Wofford and February 28 at Air Force).
Barr stole one base Sunday, bringing his total for 2025 to 30, the first time an Army player has reached the 30-stolen base mark in a single season since Hunter Meade stole 32 bases in 2022.
Army sent 10 batters to the plate in the sixth inning of the daycap Sunday, the 10th time they've sent 10 or more to bat in an inning this year.
For the fifth time in 2025, Army recorded more runs (13) than hits (12) in Game 1 Sunday.
Army moved to 2-1 this season in extra inning games.
The all-time series between Army and Navy now stands tied at 136 wins each. Army is now 14-8 all-time vs. Navy in extra innings and is the program's fifth straight postseason series win over the Mids.
Sunday's nightcap was the first extra-inning affair between the academy rivals since a 2-1 Army win at West Point on April 3, 2023.
Sunday evening was Army's first extra innings Patriot League postseason game since May 10, 2008, in Game 1 of the semifinals vs. Bucknell.
Next Up
Army will travel to Holy Cross for the Patriot League Championship series. Game one of the best-of-three series is set for 1:00 p.m. Saturday, with Game 2 Sunday and Game 3 Monday if necessary.
Follow the Black Knights
Follow Army Baseball on X @ArmyWP_Baseball and on Instagram @armywp_baseball. Fans can also like Army West Point Athletics on Facebook and learn more about baseball and other programs at goarmywestpoint.com.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lehman, Justin (5-4)
L: Archibald, Matt (4-4)
Batting:
2B: Barr, Chris 1 ; Titus, Coleson 1 ; Schreck, Thomas 1
3B: Delph, Michael 1
RBI: Barr, Chris 4 ; Ainsworth, Addison 1 ; Lehman, Justin 1 ; Farrell, Zac 2 ; Titus, Coleson 3
SH: Titus, Coleson 1
SF: Ainsworth, Addison 1 ; Lehman, Justin 1 ; Titus, Coleson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Barr, Chris 1 ; Parker, William 1 ; Quinlan, Jack 1 ; Delph, Michael 3 ; Farrell, Zac 2 ; Titus, Coleson 2 ; Schreck, Thomas 3
SB: Barr, Chris 2
CS: Barr, Chris 1 ; Farrell, Zac 1
HBP: Farrell, Zac 1 ; Schreck, Thomas 1
Batting:
2B: Manning, Andrew 1
RBI: McCommons, Mac 1 ; Killelea, Jack 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ceccarelli, Mason 1 ; DePerno, Ty 1
SB: DePerno, Ty 1
HBP: Mitchell, Henry 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
4
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
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1B/RHP
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