Box Score

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Army exploded for 10 runs in its first at bat as the Black Knights routed Fairleigh Dickinson University 14-0 in five innings in closing out its eight-game softball slate Saturday at the Rebel Spring Games at the Osceola County Softball Complex. The win is Army's second of the day after edging Cornell, 2-1, in the first game to post a 5-3 mark in Florida to stand 8-6 overall for its best start since 2003.

The Black Knights raked two FDU pitchers for eight hits in the first inning along with a pair of walks and two wild pitches to score 10 earned runs.  Army opened the floodgates on RBI singles by Erin McClain, Alexis AuBuchon, Shawna Bleyl and Tiffany Held.

Rachael Duval, who scored the second run on a wild pitch after drawing a walk, knocked in three runs with a double her second time up in that inning. McClain followed with an RBI double in driving in her second run in that frame to close out the scoring as Army sent 14 batters to the plate. The two-bagger was McClain's fifth of the season to move into a two-way tie with Niki Posey for sixth place on Army's all-time list with 29.

The Black Knights added a pair of runs in the fourth and fifth innings en route to posting a season-high 14 runs and their most since scoring 15 against St. Francis of N.Y. at home in 2005.

Reanna Johnson singled home the first run with the second scoring on a wild pitch in the fourth inning for a 12-0 lead. Duval led off the top of the fifth with her second double of the game and team-high sixth, and came around on the shortstop's fielding to score her third run against FDU and fourth of the day. Alex Reynolds' RBI double knocked in McClain, safe on the error, for Army's final run of the game.

Bonnie DeAntona pitched a four-hit shutout with one strikeout and a walk to move to 1-0 recording her first career win and complete game. She stranded five batters with two in scoring position to preserve her first shutout and Army's third of the season.

The sophomore hurler yielded her first two hits with two outs in the bottom of the first. With a runner at third, she got out unscathed on a flyout to right field. Following a strikeout in the second inning, she walked the next batter followed by a groundout and single before retiring the side on a grounder to the shortstop.  FDU never reached scoring position over the final three frames in slipping to 5-13.

Army raked FDU for a season-high 14 hits with Held and Reynolds collecting three hits along with an RBI. Duval was 2-for-2 with three RBI and three runs score and McClain was 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. McClain's 11 RBI on the season moved hr into fifth place on Army's career list with 79, which is two shy of fourth place.

The sweep was Army's second in Florida and third of the season.

"The trip to Florida provided us with the opportunity to get everyone experience and learn from every situation no matter what the results," said first-year coach Michelle DePolo. "All our pitchers have been doing an excellent job picking one another up and keeping some big bats at bay. Our defense has been very solid all around and our outfield has done an exceptional job.

"Offensively we have been making some adjustments in the line-up. Jennae Tomlinson has done a great job in the leadoff spot and the other hitters are coming into their own. Rachael Duval, Erin McClain, Alexis AuBuchon, and Alex Reynolds have had clutch hits while Tiffany Held found her groove and had a great week. Natalia Gruenbaum has developed from the left side nicely. Overall, we are looking forward to taking the things we learned about the team this week and improving them at practice."

The Black Knights return to action on Saturday, March 27, when they visit Yale for a non-conference doubleheader followed by a home twinbill the next day with Rider (March 28). The Black Knights defeated Rider 7-3 at the Rebel Spring Games earlier in the week.

NOTES: Army batted .284 at the Rebel Spring games as it outhit its opponents 58-47 with 14 doubles in outscoring its oppoents 42-24 ... Tiffany Held led the team in Florida batting .480 with nine RBI ... Erin McClain was next at .391 followed by Rachael Duval (.375) and Alexis AuBuchon .333 ... Held leads the team overall with a .417 batting average to include 15 hits and 12 RBI ... AuBuchon is next at .406 followed by Duval (.395) and McClain (.368) ... Duval has a team-high 17 hits and 17 runs.