Box Score

LAKELAND, Fla. - J.T. Watkins went 3-for-4 with four runs scored and drove in the go-ahead run with a two-out single in the top of the ninth inning and Army rallied for three runs in its final plate appearance as the Black Knights kicked off their spring trip to Florida on a positive note by registering a dramatic 12-11 victory over Long Island, Saturday afternoon at Henley Field.

The Black Knights (5-2) raced out to an early 5-0 lead during their 2010 Florida debut only to see the Blackbirds battle from behind on the strength of a six-run sixth inning to forge ahead 9-7 entering the seventh. Kevin McKague's leadoff home run to deep left field in the seventh drew Army to within 9-8 before the Black Knights knotted the score at 9-9 one inning later when Cody Murtle ripped a leadoff double to left-center and scored on a single to left by Zach Price.

But LIU (1-8) regained the lead at 10-9 in the bottom of the stanza, reaching Army reliever Joey Henshaw for the go-ahead run on two-out RBI single down the left field line by Drew Walsh. The Black Knights fought from behind once again though, rallying for three more runs in their final at-bat.

Henshaw ripped a 1-2 offering from LIU reliever Evan Zerff for a line leadoff single to center to open the uprising. Ben Koenigsfeld then greeted Blackbird closer Gerard Tingos (0-1) with a double down the right field line, placing runners at second and third with no outs. Murtle's high-chopper to first base with one out scored Henshaw with the tying run, setting the stage for Watkins' clutch RBI single to right that delivered Koenigsfeld with Army's go-ahead score. Price followed with a scorching triple to the gap in right-center field that plated Watkins with what proved to be a very important insurance run for the Black Knights, providing Army with a 12-10 advantage heading into the bottom of the ninth.

McKague came on to close out the win for Army, earning his third save of the young season, but not before Long Island placed the potential tying run at third base and the potential winning run at first with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Greg DeSantis stroked a leadoff single and Tito Marrero drew a walk, placing the tying runs on base with no outs. After Julien Castro successfully sacrificed both runners into scoring position, Tingos lofted a fly ball single to short center field to scored DeSantis, pulling the Blackbirds within 12-11. But McKague stiffened from there, inducing Sam Sciamarcelli to fly out to center field and retiring Tyler Jones on a groundout to end the threat.

Army scored five runs on five hits against Long Island starter Adam Sauter in the second inning to build an early cushion. A two-run single by Shaun Wixted and a two-run triple by Clint Moore highlighted the frame for the Black Knights. But Long Island began chipping away at the deficit with three runs in the third, benefitting from three walks and a key fielding error that opened the door for all three runs to score.

A pair of RBI singles by Moore in the fourth and sixth innings helped stretch Army's lead to 7-3 before LIU erupted for six runs on six hits to chase Black Knight starter Matt Fouch in the sixth.

Henshaw (2-1) earned the win in relief for Army, while McKague notched his 11th career save. Eight of Army's nine starters garnered at least two hits on the day, headed by Watkins, Koenigsfeld and Moore, who finished with three hits each. Moore tripled and drove in four runs, while Koenigsfeld doubled twice. Price, who added three RBI, McKague, Henshaw, Wixted and Murtle recorded two hits each to aid the Black Knights' season-best 19-hit attack.

"I'm really proud of our ball club," said Army head coach Joe Sottolano. "This was exactly the kind of ball game we needed to win. We've been talking about winning games like this all season. The lead change hands several times, right up until our last out. We swung the bats extremely well, especially late in the game. I thought our swings were free and easy with the game on the line, which showed a lot of confidence and swagger.

"To date we've been getting great pitching performances, though we struggled on the mound today. As good teams do, our offense did a nice job picking the staff up today."

Army returns to action on Sunday, squaring off against Ivy League member Yale in Lakeland. First pitch at Henley Field is slated for 3:30 p.m. It will mark the former Eastern Intercollegiate Baseball League conference members' first matchup since Army departed the EIBL for the Patriot League in 1993.

Black Knights Blog: At 5-2, Army is off to its best start since 1986 ... the Black Knights began that season with 17 wins in their first 19 games and finished 23-13-1 ... Army has registered double digits in base hits in five of seven games this year ... the Black Knights established a school record by garnering double digit hit totals in 32 contests last spring ... with 11 career saves, Kevin McKague stands in third place on Army’s career list, two behind Chad LeMay (West Point ‘88) in second ... McKague tops the club with four home runs through the season’s first seven games ... he smacked six round-trippers all of last season ... McKague boasts 13 career home runs ... Shaun Wixted has registered two hits in five of the six games in which he has received plate appearances this season, including four in a row ... Wixted has hit safely in all six games in which he has drawn an at-bat ... J.T. Watkins equaled his career high with three base hits ... he also established a new career standard with four runs scored ... after squaring off against Yale on Sunday, Army will visit eighth-ranked Florida in Gainesville on Monday ... the game as added to Army’s schedule on Friday as a result of the Black Knights’ forced cancellation against Akron on Saturday ... first pitch at McKethan Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m. on Monday ... Army defeated Florida 9-5 in the teams’ most recent matchup back in 2004.