Only twelve months ago, Army won the 2023 Patriot League Championship Series over Bucknell in two games by a combined score of 41-11. Scoring 41 runs in a two-game championship series is not normal. Friends, that is an ass-whuppin’. Bucknell must have carried that chip on their shoulder for a full year, too, because when they finally got back to Doubleday Field for the Patriot League Semifinals this past weekend, they were ready. 

Monday Madness at West Point.https://t.co/Wc61jCGZA3

— Army Baseball (@ArmyWP_Baseball) May 14, 2024

Manic Monday

Army won the Regular Season Championship and therefore earned the right to host fourth place Bucknell in their Patriot League Semifinal best-of-three series. Bucknell won Game 1 this past Saturday, leading the entire day and then just hanging on for a 4-3 win after taking a 4-0 lead into the seventh inning. 

More than anything, it seemed like Army simply ran out of time. The Bison left starting pitcher Tyler O’Neill in through the entire game, letting him throw a whopping *140* pitches and keeping him out there even after he’d clearly started to tire. The Black Knights got to him in the last two innings, but though they got men on second and third with just one out in the bottom of the ninth, they couldn’t quite score that last, tying run.

After a one-day pause for Bucknell’s graduation, the Bison returned to West Point on fire for Monday’s Game 2 — and Game 3, if Army could force it. Alas, the Bison again jumped out to a lead in the top of the first and then poured it on, building up a 7-2 advantage through the top of the seventh. 

Army’s season, and their streak of five straight Patriot League championships, appeared all but over.

.@ArmyWP_Baseball, in two elimination games today, trailed Bucknell entering B7th by 7-2 and 5-2 margins.

They won both games, outscoring the Bison 11-0 over the final 2-plus innings to advance to the Patriot League Championship Series against Navy.pic.twitter.com/o8ofLoDbOx

— Friday Starters (@fridaystarters) May 13, 2024

Thankfully, the Black Knights rallied. They played textbook Army small ball through the bottom of the seventh, generating three walks, two batters hit-by-pitch (HBP), an RBI fielder’s choice, a huge RBI double by Chris Barr –the walk-off hero from two weeks earlier against Navy — and a game-tying sacrifice fly by outfielder Addison Ainsworth. Bucknell answered by loading the bases in the eighth, but they could not score. Relief pitcher Tanner Gresham entered with two outs and immediately coerced Grant Voytovich into a harmless fly ball to end the threat. 

Army would not be stopped. They scored two in the bottom of the eighth to take their first lead of the series and then completed the comeback, winning 9-7 and tying the series at a game apiece. Sticking with the comeback theme, Gresham earned the win, his first in over a year, after returning heroically only two weeks prior from Tommy John surgery.

Typically NCAA double headers consist of one nine-inning game and one seven-inning game. On this day, the winner-take-all Game 3 would be nine innings and start just 45 minutes after Gresham retired the side in Game 2. Turns out, Army needed all nine of those innings to pull out another come-from-behind win on this Manic Monday. 

As if according to a script, Bucknell jumped out to a 5-2 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth. When Army Baseball legend Sam Ruta struck out to lead off the eighth, things looked dire indeed for West Point’s nine. But the Black Knights pulled it off with an eighth inning rally that looked strikingly like their seventh inning comeback earlier that afternoon. Two HBPs, three walks (one intentional), and two singles — the second a 2-run, game-tying single by pinch hitter and Patriot League Pitcher of the Year Justin Lehman — and Army held the lead again! Bucknell extended the drama into the ninth by loading the bases before another soon-to-be second lieutenant, Steven Graver, stepped up in relief. As the sun set over Eisenhower Barracks, Graver stopped the Bison from scoring and put a bow on his brilliant 4-inning stint on the mound. 

Series win secured. On to the championship for the sixth straight season.

Our Play of the Week, presented by @USAA, is Justin Lehman's pinch-hit 2-run single for @ArmyWP_Baseball in the bottom of the 8th to tie Game 3 of the Patriot League Semifinals Series vs. Bucknell 👏👏👏#GoArmy pic.twitter.com/A5ttNzks7P

— ArmyWestPoint Sports (@GoArmyWestPoint) May 14, 2024

Another Chance to Bean Tavy!

Army Baseball measures success two ways: by beating Navy and by earning a berth in the NCAA DI Baseball Championship. They can achieve both goals by defeating Navy in the Patriot League Championship series this weekend. Game 1 is on Sunday, followed by Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. 

The winner of this series earns more than just the NCAA Regionals ticket. An Army win will extend the current streak of Patriot League Championships to six. A Navy win would begin to avenge the back-to-back Patriot League Championship defeats Army handed them back in 2018 and 2019. These programs have gone in different directions since that crucial 2019 match-up. This series marks Navy’s first appearance in the conference finals since that 2019 set; Army has won the title every year since then.

Army earned the right to host this series, but these teams are evenly matched. With almost identical schedule design, Army stands 29-21 (16-8 in the Patriot League). Navy is 28-21 (15-10 PL). Army won the regular season series 3-2 by a combined score of 18-14 over five games. In the exciting three-game set at Doubleday Field a few weeks ago, the Black Knights had to score twice in the bottom of the ninth to win the critical third game — and the season series. 

If you read through Patriot League honors, every time you see a Black Knight, there’s a squid right there in an equivalent spot. Offensively, the teams are a push. Army hits .276 with 333 runs. Navy hits .278 with 311 runs. If there’s a significant difference, it’s in starting pitching. Army’s top pitcher, cow Justin Lehman, has a phenomenal 1.85 earned run average (ERA) over 63 innings and twice as many strikeouts as walks. Navy’s top starter, Tyler Grenn, gives up almost a full 2 earned runs more than Lehman with a 3.65 ERA over 69 innings. Grenn also sports a much worse strikeout-to-walk ratio with 33 Ks to 25 BBs. 

Will Navy hold Grenn to Game 2 to avoid a mismatch in Game 1? They might try to piece together a bunch of relievers to keep that first game close into the late innings. If Navy can then steal Game 1, they  would flip the series advantage in their favor. 

Regardless, these teams have played close all year. Expect more back-and-forth action this weekend, just like baseball is intended to be.  

🎉 @M_Trivelpiece delivers the last #pltop3 of the academic year!

3️⃣⚾️ @NavyBaseball
2️⃣⚾️ @ArmyWP_Baseball
1️⃣🥎 @Lehighsoftball

https://t.co/zwp5Y5jDfq

— Patriot League on ESPN (@PatriotLeagueTV) May 15, 2024

Army’s in the Show – Again! 

Speaking of those 2018 and 2019 Championships, have you heard about Jacob Hurtubise?! 

On Mother’s Day, Hurtubise (‘20) received “the call” and made history. While shopping in a grocery store in his hometown with his mother, he answered “the call” and told his mom he was going to the Big Leagues. 

“When?!” she asked. 

“Right now. It’s 1 PM and my flight leaves at 2:20!” 

Upon landing in Cincinnati and donning the Reds uniform, Hurtubise became only the second West Point grad to play in The Majors. 

Known for his speed, Hurtubise set Patriot League records in stolen bases and walks, even though his senior season got canceled back in 2020. Chris Rowley (‘13) is the only other West Pointer to make it to The Show, pitching a few games for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017 and 2018. In an interview after being called up, Hurtubise told a story about how all the Army players ordered Rowley jerseys in 2017 and wore them with pride following Rowley’s debut. 

What’s next for Hurtubise? Follow the Cincinnati Reds and find out!

Jacob Hurtubise is one of two West Point students to have played in the MLB, and that is something he is extremely proud of. pic.twitter.com/eEGrLkNBGu

— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) May 15, 2024

Enjoy the action this weekend, friends.

Go Army! Beat Navy!!!