Box Score WEST POINT, New York – Trailing by five runs after the first inning, the Marist softball team came back to defeat Army West Point 9-8 in a non-conference game on Tuesday. The win was the Red Foxes' 14th straight.
A doubleheader was originally scheduled for Tuesday. However, the start of game one was delayed by over an hour, and the second game was called off.
Marist scored three runs in its first at bat. Senior first baseman Maureen Duddy walked to lead off the game, and scored on a double by freshman second baseman Claire Oberdorf. Senior shortstop Kyrsten Van Natta followed with a double, which plated Oberdorf, and Van Natta scored the Red Foxes' third run on a sacrifice by senior right fielder Janna Korak.
However, Army West Point scored eight times in its first at bat. Right fielder Kristen McPeek belted a grand slam, and second baseman Alee Rashenskas delivered a two-run single.
Marist then erased its deficit in the top of the third with a six-run inning. Senior center fielder Colleen McWilliams had an RBI single, and sophomore designated player Gabrielle Kelliher hit a two-run double to bring the Red Foxes within two. A two-out single by freshman left fielder Casey Page tied the game, and Page scored what proved to be the winning run on an infield single by Oberdorf.
Junior Jayne Oberdorf (9-3) came on in relief, and pitched 6.1 scoreless innings to win her eighth straight decision. Oberdorf scattered eight hits and two walks, and struck out three. With Oberdorf in the circle, the closest the Black Knights came to scoring was in the sixth inning, but Korak threw out Rashenskas trying to score from second on a single for the final out.
Offensively for the Red Foxes, Claire Oberdorf, junior catcher Rebecca Freeman, Van Natta, Kelliher, and Page had two hits apiece. Oberdorf, Kelliher, and Page each drove in two runs. Van Natta scored twice, and both Van Natta and Kelliher finished with two doubles.
Army West Point outhit Marist, 14-13. Kristen West (13-3) took the loss.
Marist is now 37-8 overall, while Army West Point is 30-17.
Marist returns to action this weekend with a pair of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheaders. The Red Foxes will play at Iona on Saturday, and at Fairfield on Sunday. First pitch of game one on both days is scheduled for noon.
