Game One Box Score (Army 5, Holy Cross 1)

Game Two Box Score (Holy Cross 5, Army 3)

Postgame Notebook

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Army posted a 5-1 victory in the first game behind the strong pitching of Matt Fouch and Kevin McKague and Holy Cross battled back from a late two-run deficit to register a 5-3 win in the nightcap as the teams split the first two games of a Patriot League best-of-three semifinal series, Saturday afternoon at Doubleday Field.

The third-and-deciding game of the series will be played on Sunday at Doubleday Field, with the winner advancing to next weekend’s Patriot League Championship Series against either top-seeded Bucknell or fourth-seeded Lafayette. Those two teams also split the first two games of their best-of-three semifinal series on Saturday. Bucknell won the first game 6-4, before falling 20-9 in the second contest.

Fouch was in complete control for Army in first game, permitting just two baserunners to reach scoring position and only one to advance to third base across his dominant eight innings of work. Holy Cross spoiled the junior southpaw’s shutout bid with two outs in the eighth inning when Jack Laurendeau homered to left. It was the only time the Crusaders moved a runner past second base all game. Following the home run, Fouch retired Brendan McCrea to end the eighth. He would yield to McKague to begin the ninth.

McKague was just as impressive in working a perfect ninth inning as he mowed down the heart of Holy Cross’ order in succession. Army’s hard-throwing closer struck out Patriot League Player of the Year Matt Perry and Jake Gorman before inducing cleanup hitter Eric Oxford to fly out to end the game.

Army provided Fouch with all the offensive support he needed in the bottom of the third inning, scoring five runs on five hits. Zach Price and Andy Ernesto singled to open the third opposite Holy Cross starter Dan Seip. Both runners advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch. After Clint Moore walked to load the bases, Joey Henshaw ripped a clutch, two-run single to right field. McKague followed with a three-run home run to right-center field, an opposite-field shot into the teeth of a steady breeze.

The Black Knights placed runners on base in each of their final five plate appearances, but could not build upon their five-run lead. In the end, Fouch did not require further assistance, striking out three and walking three in notching his sixth win in nine decisions this season and avenging an early season loss to the Crusaders. He allowed just five hits (3 singles, 1 double, 1 homer) over his eight innings of work.

Seip (3-4) suffered the loss for Holy Cross, permitting five runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings. He walked three and did not fan a batter. Price, Ernesto and Henshaw stroked two hits apiece. Henshaw went 2-for-2 with two walks, one run scored and two runs batted in.

Army carried a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning of the second game, but the Crusaders fought back, pushing across one run in the sixth to inch closer. Holy Cross benefitted from two walks and a costly fielding error to score three runs in the bottom of the seventh to move in front for good.

Army (30-18) grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning as Price ripped a leadoff single, stole second base and scored on a single through the left side of the infield by Moore. McKague followed with a single to center field, moving Moore to third base. Henshaw’s sacrifice fly to the warning track in straightaway center field delivered Moore with Army’s second run of the inning.

Holy Cross broke through against Black Knight Ben Koenigsfeld for a single run in the bottom of the inning when John Sills and Laurendeau smacked leadoff singles. McCrea advanced both runners with a successful sacrifice bunt and Sills scored just ahead of Army catcher J.T. Watkins’ tag after Perry grounded to McKague at first base.

The Black Knights got the run back in the top of the fifth when Price singled and came all the way around to score on Holy Cross starter Matt Shapiro’s errant pickoff throw to first base.

Army squandered a golden opportunity to pad its lead in the sixth when Henshaw ripped a leadoff single and stole second base, but Shapiro retired the next three batters in order, recording a pair of strikeouts. The Black Knights managed little the rest of the way as Bobby Holmes came out of the Crusader bullpen to shut down Army over the final three frames. In fact, the junior right-hander permitted just two base runners during his solid three-inning relief stint.

Holy Cross (22-26) moved to within 3-2 in the sixth as McCrea reached on a leadoff single, moved to second on Perry’s infield single and scored on a clutch, two-out single up the middle by Oxford. The Crusaders moved ahead for good in their next at-bat as Tim Hughes reached on a leadoff single and Billy Cupelo walked. When Sills’ sacrifice bunt went under third baseman J.P. Polchinski’s glove for an error all runners were safe and the Crusaders had loaded the bases with no outs. Koeningsfeld then walked Laurendeau to force in the tying run.

Tyler Anderegg relieved Koenigsfeld and McCrea smacked the first pitch he saw into center field for a sacrifice fly as Hughes scampered home with the go-ahead score. Army registered its second out of the inning when Anderegg fielded Perry’s suicide squeeze bunt and threw home to Watkins, who successfully applied the tag on Sills. But Gorman laced a critical two-out, RBI double down the left-field line to score Laurendeau with a vital insurance run and a 5-3 Crusader lead. Two of the three runs Holy Cross scored during the inning were unearned.

Holmes (3-6) worked around a fielding error in the eighth, then retired the side in order in the ninth to earn the victory for the Crusaders. He struck out two and walked one over his three innings of work.

Price, McKague and Henshaw garnered two hits apiece for the Black Knights, who were outhit 10-7 in the nightcap. Gorman, Oxford and Hughes finished with two hits each for Holy Cross as the third-seeded Crusaders staved off elimination in the second game.

Koenigsfeld, selected Patriot League Pitcher of the Year earlier this week, absorbed the loss. He was touched for five runs (3 earned) on seven hits over six-plus innings in dropping to 7-4 on the season. He struck out three and walked two.

The teams, which split four regular season Patriot League decisions at Doubleday Field in early April, will play the rubber game of their Patriot League Tournament semifinal series on Sunday. First pitch at Doubleday Field is slated for 1 p.m.

Black Knights Blog: Army extended its season-long winning streak to eight games with a win in the opener before dropping the second game ... the Black Knights registered their 30th win of the season during the first game ... Army has recorded at least 30 victories in four of the last six years ... the Black Knights dropped Game Three of a Patriot League Tournament semifinal series to Bucknell last spring, falling 1-0 ... Joey Henshaw moved to within six runs batted in of the single season school record established by Mike Scioletti in 1997 ... the potent Army offense was held to single digits in base hits in both contests Saturday ... after reaching double figures in base hits during 10 consecutive outings, the Black Knights have been limited to single digits each of the last three times out ... Matt Fouch was touched for 10 runs (7 earned) and 12 hits over 5.1 innings during his first encounter with the Crusaders this season ... with two hits in each game, Henshaw tied Army’s single season school record for multiple-hit games (23) ... Cole White set the mark in 2007 ... Henshaw went 4-for-5 with two walks, one run scored and three runs batted in during the twinbill ... Zach Price went 4-for-8 with three runs scored, while Kevin McKague finished 3-for-8 ... McKague saw his batting average drop two percentage points to .427 ... Matt Perry went 2-for-7 at the plate on Saturday and saw his league-leading batting average dip from .439 to .433 ... Henshaw extended his hitting streak to 10 games ... Army is now 12-9 in Patriot League Tournament games and 8-4 in Patriot League Tournament games played at Doubleday Field ... the Black Knights are now 15-5 at home this spring.