WEST POINT, N.Y. – Strong pitching defined Lafayette's Patriot League doubleheader with Army on Sunday afternoon. After being no-hit in the opening game, the Leopards rallied to capture game two, 1-0, thanks to a sparkling pitching performance from
Parker Rowden and timely work at the plate from
Kylee Sweet and
Maggie Klug.
In that win, Rowden struck out four and held Army, which had 12 hits in game one, to only four hits (all singles) in the nightcap.
The Leopards manufactured the only run of the game in the sixth inning. Sweet had one of the squad's two hits in the contest (a single) to start the inning. Sac bunts by
Ava Butler and
Regan Dillon accompanied by an error put pinch runner
Sabina Lehnert on third base with one out. Klug came through with a sac fly to left for the 1-0 lead.
Rowden retired the Black Knights in order in the sixth. In the bottom of the seventh, she gave up a lead-off hit, but then used a double play on a pop-up to get the first two outs. Rowden walked the next batter on four straight pitches, but recovered to strike out Breanna Coonfare on three straight offerings to seal the win. It was the team's eighth victory, surpassing last season's win total and handing Rowden her fifth triumph of the season.
In the series opener, Army's Breanna Izzo pitched a seven-inning no-hitter in a 6-0 final. Izzo struck out six and walked one, only allowing two baserunners on the afternoon.
The Black Knights scored three runs on three hits and left the bases loaded in the first inning for the 3-0 lead. Army added two more on an error in the third and a final run on an RBI-single in the sixth.
Jordan Goedel took the pitching loss, allowing three earned runs on six hits over four innings.
Sophia Alvarez-Backus pitched the final two frames, surrendering one run on one hit.
The teams will wrap up the series on Monday at noon.
