Army Battles at First of USF Tournament

TAMPA, FL – Army West Point Softball opened the first day of the USF Tournament with a walk off two-run home run, by Maddie Wilkes, to win 5-4 over UMass but fell later in the day #22 USF, 1-0, on Friday.

GAME 1
The Black Knights won in walk off fashion against UMass to open the tournament.

Army got on the board first in the bottom of the second. Leila Hurst recorded a base hit for the Black Knights’ first hit of the game. The next two runners were able to reach base, loading the bases. Angelina Bebek entered the batter’s box and fired off a single to center field to bring one runner across home plate. Army finished the frame with one run of two hits and an error to lead 1-0 over UMass.

The it was a battle of the pitchers in the third as each team came up short at the plate. UMass gave Army trouble in the top of the fourth as it pushed four runs on four hits to take a 4-1 lead over Army. Emily Iannotti (1-2) entered the circle for Army in the top of fifth and retired the side to get the Cadets back in the batter’s box.

In the bottom of the fifth, Brook Mitchell drew a lead off walk. Michaela Cappicotto entered the game as a pinch hitter and drew another walk. With two on and two out, Kayla Edwards fired off a base hit up the middle to plate one run. In the next at bat, Cappicotto took advantage of a wild pitch and crossed home plate to put Army within one of UMass (4-3).

Iannotti was working in the circle to keep UMass off the board for the next two innings. In the bottom of the seventh Donaldson got the bats going with a lead off double. Wilkes reentered the game and fired off a walk off two-run home run.

GAME 2
Army battled against #22 USF in the second game of the day but fell 1-0 to the Bulls.
USF scored the one run of the game in the bottom of the first off a single. In the top of the second, Ellie Caldwell hit a double to right center to get something started for Army.

Unfortunately, the Black Knights came up short at the plate and left Caldwell on base.

Olivia Farris (0-7) was in the circle for Army, and she kept USF off the board for the next five innings. Army was unable to score and fell 1-0 to USF.