Army Captures Doubleheader Sweep of Bucknell

LEWISBURG, PA – Army West Point Softball (11-23, 2-1) picked up its first doubleheader sweep of the season downing Bucknell (5-28, 1-7) on Saturday afternoon.

Game 1
Army striked first in the top of the third after the second rain delay off the game. Jolie Duong got the momentum going by drawing a walk. She was quickly moved to third by a double off the bat of Kayla Edwards. Leila Hurst fired off an RBI single giving Army the 1-0 lead. Maddie Wilkes closed the frame with a two RBI double extending the lead to 3-0.

Bucknell was able to get two runners aboard in the bottom of the third, but the Black Knights shut their efforts down stranding the two runners on base.

In the top of the fourth, the Cadets picked up right where they left off with a double to left center off the bat of Ellie Caldwell. She was joined by Brook Mitchell, who reached on a bunt single. The two runners were not on base for long as Edwards delivered a two RBI single. Army finished the half inning with two runs on three hits for a 5-0 lead over Bucknell.

The teams remained scoreless for the rest of the game. Duong (5-8) picked up the shutout win in the circle for the Black Knights striking out four batters.

Game 2
Army picked up right where the team left off in the first game with a leadoff double by Maaika Dones. Hurst helped bring Dones home with a sacrifice fly out to right field giving Army the earlier 1-0 lead. The Black Knights recorded a single and a double to put runners in scoring position with two outs on the board. A fielding error by Bucknell allowed the Black Knights the opportunity to plate another run before the end of the half-inning. Army went into the bottom of the first with a 2-0 lead.

Emily Iannotti was in the circle for Army retiring eight of the first nine Bucknell batters she faced. She kept the Bison off the board for the first three innings before the Bison plated one run in the bottom of the fourth.

The teams were quiet until the bottom of the sixth when Bucknell fired off two runs off four hits taking the 3-2 lead over Army.

Dones got the seventh inning rally started for the Cadets with a leadoff single up the middle. Hurst followed with another base hit to get two runners aboard for the Black Knights. Madi Gilmore delivered for Army with a two RBI double to left field giving the lead back to Army.

In the bottom of the seventh Olivia Farris (1-12) entered the circle and secured the win for Army and her first of the season.