May 16, 2009

West Point, NY - Army moved within one victory of the Patriot League Baseball Championship by beating Lafayette, 6-2, in game one of the teams' three-game series on Saturday afternoon. The teams will begin game two at approximately 3:10 p.m., with the Black Knights going for the League title and the Leopards trying to extend the series to a decisive game three on Sunday afternoon.

Army starting pitcher Matt Fouch was in command throughout, and did not allow an earned run while striking out eight in his eight innings of work. The big blow for the Black Knights came in the fifth, as Andy Ernesto hit a three-run home run down the right-field line for a 4-2 lead. Army added a pair in the seventh to go on to the 6-2 victory.

Both starting pitchers got out of jams in the first inning of game one. Fouch walked the first two hitters he faced, but came back with a strikeout and double play ball to get out of the frame without any damage. A double and an error put two runners on in the bottom of the inning against Lafayette starter Zach Fritz, but he kept the scoreless tie as third baseman Justin Shepherd made a diving stop on a Kevin McKague ground ball to strand runners on second and third.

Army broke on the board first in the bottom of the second, with Ben Koenigsfeld belting a long leadoff home run to left field that bounced onto Cullum Hall across the street and gave the Black Knights the early 1-0 lead.

After leaving four runners on base in the first three innings, Lafayette grabbed a 2-1 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. Shepherd led off with a single, and the Leopards put runners on first and third when Army's J.P. Polchinski committed an error on Matt Hall's sacrifice bunt. Matt Fenster doubled to right to drive in Shepherd and put runners on second and third, and Alex Bechta gave the Leopards the 2-1 lead with an RBI groundout to plate Hall later in the inning.

Army went back on top in the fifth on a three-run home run by Andy Ernesto. Kyle Fleming and Zach Price each reached base after getting hit by a pitch, and Ernesto followed with his home run that just stayed fair down the right-field line to give the Black Knights a 4-2 lead.

Fouch settled in after the Black Knights re-gained the lead. He pitched around a one-out double in the top of the sixth, and sent Lafayette down in order in the seventh to maintain the two-run advantage.

Army got some breathing room with a pair of runs in the sixth inning to take a 6-2 lead. Price led off with a single, and Clint Moore walked to put runners on first and second and chase Fritz from the game. Ryan Hanna came on in relief for the Leopards, and moved the runners to second and third with an errant pickoff throw. Joey Henshaw followed with a double to right-center to bring both runs home and give Army the 6-2 advantage.

Fouch continued to roll as he finished his day in the eighth inning. He gave up a one-out single to Hall in the eighth, and then proceeded to strike out Fenster and A.J. Miller to get out of the inning. Fouch allowed just two unearned runs in his eight-inning stint, striking out eight Lafayette batters while giving up six hits and five walks.

McKague came on for the save in the ninth, allowing a walk before striking out Daniel Bierce looking to give Army the 6-2 victory in the series opener and bring the Black Knights within one game of the League title with a 6-2 victory in the series opener.

Ernesto was 2-for-4 with the three-run home run and a double, becoming Army's all-time leader with 45 career doubles. Price was 1-for-3 with two runs scored.

Six different Lafayette players accounted for the team's hits, with Fenster and Bechta each driving in runs.