Courtesy of Army West Point Athletics Communications
ATHENS, Ga. – Army West Point Baseball fell 4-2 to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Saturday to conclude the 2024 season, in the club's second game of the NCAA Athens Regional at Foley Field.
Army's season finishes 31-23. The Black Knights won the Patriot League Tournament Championship for the sixth consecutive full season, and the conference regular season crown for the third straight year, with a 16-8 record in league play.
The Jackets struck first with a pair of solo home runs in the first inning and went ahead 3-0 in the fourth with a two-out RBI single.
Sam Ruta got the Black Knights back into the game, with a two-run home run in the sixth to make it 3-2. The homer gave Ruta his 187
th career RBI, setting an Army and Patriot League record for career RBIs in the senior's final game in a Black Knight baseball uniform.
Georgia Tech plated a run in the eighth to give themselves a two-run cushion late.
A
Thomas Schreck leadoff walk gave Army hope in the ninth, but the top of the order subsequently was sat down in order to end the contest.
Justin Lehman started Saturday, going 5.1 frames and striking out two batters.
Mike Ruggieri (1.0 IP) and
Steven Graver (0.2) pitched in relief.
By the Numbers
5-for-9:
Chris Barr hit 3-for-5 Saturday and went a combined 5-for-9 in Athens. He finished the year with four consecutive multi-hit games and hits in eight straight games.
2-for-4:
Ethan Ellis was 2-for-4 Saturday.
4: Army turned four double plays against the Yellow Jackets.
Black Knight Notes
Army finished the year 5-2 against Navy and 6-2 overall against Navy and Air Force.
Ruta and Golinski started in all 54 games in 2024, at third base and center field, respectively. Parker also started each game, split between left field and designated hitter.
Berg and Ruta each extended their on-base streaks to 28 and 25 games, respectively.
Ruggieri made a bullpen appearance for the first time in 2024, after entering the game with 13 starts this season.