Box Score
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Kevin McKague, Ben Koenigsfeld and Clint Moore blasted two-run home runs and Joey Henshaw added a solo shot as Army opened its 2010 season by pounding defending regular season Atlantic 10 Conference champion Dayton 14-6, Friday afternoon at Gene Hooks Field at Wake Forest Baseball Park.
In a matchup of preseason conference favorites, Army (1-0) jumped on Dayton (0-1) for an unearned run in the top of the first inning as Zach Price reached on an infield single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, stole third base and scored on an error by Flyer right-fielder Aaron Dunsmore.
The Black Knights broke through for five runs on five hits against Dayton ace Cameron Hobson in the top of the third inning, scoring all five runs with two outs. David Darnell reached on a two-base error by Dayton left fielder Brian Blasik. Moore followed with an RBI single through the left side of the infield and McKague blasted an opposite-field home run to right. After Henshaw doubled to left-center field, Koenigsfeld drilled a two-run home run to extend Army’s lead to 6-0. Moore’ sacrifice fly in the fourth stretched the Black Knights’ advantage to 7-0.
After yielding just two hits and one walk through the first four innings on the pitcher’s mound, Henshaw was touched for two runs on three hits in the bottom of the fifth. Dayton, which finished 38-19 last season and, like Army, received votes in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers preseason poll two weeks ago, received run-scoring singles from Blasik and Jimmy Roesinger to close within 7-2.
But Henshaw greeted Flyer reliever Tim Corbey with a leadoff home run in the seventh and Shaun Wixted stroked a two-run single later in the inning as the Black Knights rebuilt their lead to 10-2. A three-run home run by Zach Jacob off Army reliever Matt Fouch with two outs in the bottom of the frame narrowed the gap to 10-5. All three of the Flyers runs were unearned as an Army fielding error prolonged the stanza.
The Black Knights increased their margin to 12-5 on a two-run home run to left-center field by Moore in the eighth, then added a pair of runs in the ninth for a 14-5 cushion.
Henshaw (1-0) picked up the victory for the Black Knights, tossing five strong innings in his season debut. The junior southpaw allowed five hits and two runs, while striking out four and walking three. Fouch earned his first collegiate save, permitting three hits and four unearned runs over four innings. He fanned four and walked two.
Army, which set a school record by registering double figures in base hits 32 times a year ago, rapped out 16 hits in its season opener. Moore went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and four runs batted in, while McKague finished 3-for-6 with one run scored and two runs batted in. Price Henshaw, Koenigsfeld and Wixted recorded two hits apiece for the Black Knights, who opened their season with a victory for the second straight year and third time in four years.
Army will square off against Wake Forest later on Friday in the back end of its season opening split-doubleheader. First pitch at Gene Hooks Field at Wake Forest Baseball Park is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Black Knights Blog: Shaun Wixted equaled his career best with two base hits ... Wixted entered the game as a reserve at third base in the bottom of the third inning for starter Steve May ... the teams combined to make six fielding errors ... only two of Dayton’s six runs were earned ... Clint Moore extended his hitting streak to eight games dating back to last season ... Moore drilled his 18th career home run, while Joey Henshaw smashed his 14th, McKague his 10th and Koenigsfeld his eighth ... Moore gained sole possession of fifth place on the Black Knights’ career home runs list with his two-run shot ... Army’s “Big Four” of Moore, Henshaw, McKague and Koenigsfeld homered in the same game for the first time in their West Point careers ... Army registered double digits in runs scored 20 times last spring to set a school record ... Friday’s win over Dayton marked the second consecutive year in which Army scored 14 runs in its season opener ... the Black Knights defeated Ohio 14-5 in their 2009 lid-lifter.
