KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Fresh off a sweep of Siena last week, the softball team headed for warmer weather over the weekend flying to Kissimmee, Fla., for a challenging eight-game schedule at the Rebel Spring Games starting Monday, March 15, and ending Saturday, March 20.

The Black Knights (3-3) participated Sunday in a remembrance ceremony for Norma Metrolis, who worked the gate for several years at the Osceola Softball Complex. Norma, who died in February at the age of 84, played professional baseball for five years during the 1940s, and the success she and her teammates enjoyed on the diamond played a key role in helping women's sports enjoy the status they hold today.

Norma is enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., as a member of the All America Girls Baseball League, also known as "a league of their own." A catcher, she spoke over the years to many teams about her playing days, including Army, which she considered one of her favorites.

A contingent of Cadets attended the ceremony with co-captains Jennae Tomlinson and Erin McClain presenting an Army flag to be flown at the complex along with speaking on behalf of the team. Tomlinson remembered last year when one of the players asked Norman to tell them something significant from her playing days.

Norman stunned the crowd when she answered, "having a  pitcher who was seven months pregnant throw for 22 innings." There were more stories being told at the ceremony by family and friends with the West Point presence appreciated by Norma's family and friends.

The players return to the Complex for the start of competition Monday, March 15, taking on Marist at 9 a.m., followed by Tennessee Martin at 11 a.m. The Black Knights are off Tuesday (March 16), returning to the field on Wednesday, March 17, to play St. Peter's at 11 a.m. and Rider at 1 p.m.

Thursday, March 18, finds Army meeting Manhattan at 9 a.m. followed by Wisconsin-Green Bay at 11 a.m., then closing out its week-long stay playing Cornell at 11 a.m. and Farleigh Dickinson at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 20.

Army is batting .297 with sophomore Alexis AuBuchon leading the team with a .500 (7-14) average along with a .611 on-base percentage. Junior designated hitter Angela Deger is next at .429 (6-for-14) followed by sophomore Rachael Duval batting .421 (8-for-19) with Tomlinson rounding out the top four hitters batting .400 (8-for-20).

Duval, who shares the lead with Tomlinson in hits with eight, has stroked a pair of doubles and home runs for a team-high .842 slugging percentage along with six runs scored. McClain, who is batting .333, leads the team in runs batted in with six to boost her career total to 74 to move into fifth place on Army's all-time chart while her 26 career doubles is tied for ninth.

Senior pitcher Jessi Muckelroy owns two of Army's three wins, both shutouts, showing a 0.34 earned run average with sophomore Beverly Nordin posting Army's third win in an 8-2 victory over Siena last week as the Black Knights posted their first sweep of the season.