Softball Drops a Pair at Army, Falling 3-2 and 6-3

Tuesday, April 3

West Point, N.Y.

5:30 p.m.

Temple University

16-13

Army

21-12

Temple University

Army Black Knights

Photo by: Ray Stauble

Softball Drops a Pair at Army, Falling 3-2 and 6-3

4.3.12 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Owls hold late leads in both games but Army rallies to win both

WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Temple softball team had its six-game win streak halted by Army on Tuesday, April 3, at the Army Softball Complex. The Black Knights took the opener, 3-2, on a walk off single and claimed the nightcap, 6-3, thanks to a five-run sixth inning.

Army (21-12) struck first in the opener, scoring once in the bottom of the fourth. The host team was down to its final out in the inning with a runner on when Alex Gaff delivered a single to right center field that drove in Alexis AuBuchon.

The Owls (16-13) immediately responded in the top of the fifth. Freshman Julia Kastner led off the inning with a single. A sacrifice from senior Christina Sykora moved her to second, junior Ali Robinson was hit by a pitch, and senior Samantha Schoell sacrificed both runners into scoring position. Sophomore Sarah Prezioso then tripled to right field, putting her team ahead, 2-1.

Freshman Jessica Mahoney was pitching a solid game, but got in to some trouble in the sixth, hitting Marina Northup with a pitch and walking AuBuchon to put two runners on with one out. She induced a pop up from the next batter to get the second out, but sophomore Brooklin White came on in relief and got Gaff to fly out to end the inning and the threat.

It was still 2-1 heading in to the bottom of the seventh. White walked the leadoff batter, but sat the next down on strikes and got the second out on a sacrifice to move the runner into scoring position. Things fell apart for the right-handed hurler at that point. White walked the next two batters to load the bases, and Northup came through with a single to left field that drove in the game-tying and winning runs.

Morgan Lashley got the win for the Black Knights, going the distance, giving up three hits, two runs, two walks and striking out five. White (9-6) suffered the loss. Mahoney worked 5.2 innings, giving up just two hits, one run, fanning six, and walking three.

Temple carried a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning of game two after scoring once in the third and twice in the fifth.

With two outs in the third, freshman Lacey McKeon singled to third and Robinson followed with a double to left field, driving her in. The Cherry and White struck again in the fifth, this time on a Prezioso double to center field that plated Robinson and Schoell who had reached earlier on a walk and fielder's choice, respectively.

The Black Knights again rallied in the late innings, taking advantage of four hits and three TU errors in the bottom of the sixth to score five runs.

Trailing 6-3 and down to their final three outs, the Owls got a two-out base runner when Schoell was hit by a pitch, but a fielder's choice putout ended the game in Army's favor.

Lashley (17-9) picked up the win again for the Black Knights, going 7.0 innings, six hits, three runs, one walk and striking out four. Capri Catalano (4-6) took the loss in 6.0 innings, surrendering seven hits, three earned runs, two walks and fanning five.

Temple returns to the field for four Atlantic 10 games starting with a single game against George Washington at 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 5, at Ambler Field. The Owls host the Colonials for another single game on Friday at 3 p.m., before welcoming Fordham for a doubleheader beginning at noon on Saturday.