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                         April 26, 2002

Senior Gina Fox went 3-for-3, scored twice and drove in a pair of runs in sparking Army to a 5-1 win over Holy Cross in the first game Sunday, and classmate Nicki Robbins broke up a pitcher’s duel with her two-run single in the fifth inning in a 2-0 decision in the nightcap as the Black Knights closed out their series softball sweep of the Crusaders.

Army scored all the runs needed in the opener in plating three runs in the bottom half of the first in erasing an unearned run in the top half of that inning. Fox sparked Army by knocking in the go-ahead run with her two-out single after senior Bianca Brito, safe on an error, stole home to tie the score at 1-1. Fox, who went to second on the throw home, scored on senior Anne McClain’s RBI single to left field.

Sophomore Ashlie Christian (6-2) went the distance scattering 11 hits, walked none and fanned four. The lone run in the Crusaders first at bat was unearned. Christian stranded 10 runners in keeping Holy Cross off the scoreboard the rest of the way, including the last three frames with two runners in scoring position in each. Army turned a double play in the fifth, Christian got the last two outs in the sixth on strikeouts and in the seventh closed the door with a groundout and flyout.

In the nightcap, Army senior Shauna Evans and Holy Cross’ Michelle Greene both went the distance on a two-hitter. Robbins’ hit in the fifth made a winner of Evans who improved to 15-6 after collecting her third win and second shutout in the Holy Cross series. Robbins’ RBI single to right field delivered freshman Lauren Gobar and senior Melissa Parrish who drew two of the four walks issued by Greene.

That was just the second time that an Army runner reached third against Greene, who got out of a jam in the fourth on an infield pop-up after Robbins was safe on an error, moved around on a sacrifice and flyout. Greene gave up her first hit to Fox in the second with one out. Fox was 4-for-6 in the twinbill.

Evans, who walked two and fanned five, got out of early jams with runners in the corners in both the second and third innings after issuing a pair of walks in the second and two hit batsmen in the third. She got out safely on an infield pop-up in the second and in the third fanned the final two batters, the first looking.

The Black Knights, improving to 26-13-1 and 13-3 in the league in closing out the home portion of their schedule, put a lock on one of four playoff berths for the Patriot League tournament to be held the first weekend in May. This year’s regular-season champion will host the tournament.

Army and Lehigh are tied for first place with 13-3 marks, but the Mountain Hawks would host if both finish with identical records after taking three-of-four in the series with Army.