WEST POINT, N.Y. – Army took the first two games of a Patriot League weekend series against the Leopards on Saturday afternoon, winning 4-3 and 3-1 at the  Army West Point Softball Complex.
 
The Leopards scored first in game one. In the top of the second, junior Kaili Reitano singled followed by another single off the bat of junior Julia Roman. Senior Kinzi Van Wyk reached on a fielder's choice which scored Reitano from third. After that it was a pitcher's duel with Lafayette starter sophomore Kailee Sawai only giving up one hit and Army starter senior Jolie Duong surrendering two hits, until the sixth inning.

In the sixth inning, Lafayette extended it's lead to three. Freshman Harlie Bickett singled down the left field line, followed by junior Grace Harvey who reached on a fielding error and then advanced to second base, while Bickett advanced to third. Freshman Kaya Ciccone-Cozart grounded out to short, which scored Bickett from third. Reitano slapped a single down the left field line, which scored Harvey and gave the Leopards a 3-0 lead.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, the Black Knights answered back with three runs of their own to tie the game.  A sacrifice fly by junior Leila Hurst scored Doung from third, followed by junior Maddie Wilkes with an RBI double which scored sophomore Kayla Edwards. Sophomore Lauren Little reached on a fielding error by Reitano, and sophomore Julianna LaRusso, who pinch ran for Wilkes, scored to tie the game at 3-3. 

Seven innings was not enough to decide a winner.  In extra innings, Army's Wilkes led off the bottom of the eighth with a double down the right field line. She advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Little, and then scored the game winning run on a sacrifice fly to right field by senior Madi Gilmore.

In game two of the afternoon, the Black Knights opened the scoring in the bottom of the first, as Wilkes reached on a throwing error, which scored freshman Maaika Dones. The Leopards answered back in the top of the second.  Reitano walked to lead off the inning, advanced to third, and then scored on a single down the right field line by sophomore Bella Lowdermilk.  

Lafayette starter junior Jacqueline Cal and Army starter senior Emily Iannotti dueled until the fifth inning, when Army broke the game open with a two-run home run to left-center field by Wilkes, giving Army a 3-1 lead which it held for the rest of the game.

The Maroon and White conclude their weekend series against Army with a single game at noon on Sunday.