Army Black Knights Come Back to Defeat Lafayette

WEST POINT – The game isn’t over until the final out is recorded.

Twice, Army West Point baseball faced deep deficits. But twice, the Black Knights stormed back.

And for the second consecutive game, Army led only once—but when it mattered most.

Josiah Overbeek launched a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th on Monday, giving the Black Knights (25-17, 15-8 PL) a seemingly improbable win. Overbeek—a semifinalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year—also pitched 1.2 innings and earned the win on the mound.

But nothing proved truly improbable for Army, who is 9-2 over its past 11 conference contests.

The home team didn’t have a base hit heading into the seventh, down 5-0. But Mason Scott changed that with an RBI single to give Army both its first hit and first run of the afternoon.

After pinch hitters Max McGlone and John McKillop were hit by a pitch and walked, Zac Farrell changed the entire day on one swing, with Army’s third grand slam of the season to tie the game.

While Farrell’s blast—his first of the season—reset the game in the seventh, Army had to once again claw back from behind after surrendering a three-run home run in the ninth.

Army was down to its final strike, down 8-5 with nobody on base in the bottom of the ninth. But Chris Barr got the rally going with a full count walk, scoring on a William Parker double before Carter Hewitt and Thomas Schreck walked on four pitches.

Then, facing a 3-1 count, Scott opted to eschew the walk and instead tie the game on a single up the middle to the excitement of the fans at Doubleday Field.

Still, work was to be done. Having been named Patriot League Player and Rookie of the Week during the game, Overbeek recovered from allowing a three-run homer in the ninth to sit the Leopards down scoreless in the 10th, working around a pair of baserunners.

Just like the ninth, Army’s fireworks in the extra inning came with two outs and nobody on, with Overbeek ending the game on one swing with a 2-2 count.

For the second straight matchup, the Black Knights received key contributions from their relievers. Ian Standlee entered after a 1.1 inning start from Anthony Ramirez, also pitching 1.1 stanzas before Michael Delph entered in the third with two outs.

Allowing just one run on Monday, Delph set career-highs in both innings pitched and strikeouts, with 5.2 and eight respectively. The sophomore recorded the final out in the eighth before handing the ball to Army’s two-way star.

Army secured the series and season series sweep over Lafayette on Monday. The Black Knights have won 11 consecutive games over Lafayette dating back to 2024.