Army Softball Falls to Indiana in Game 2 at FAU Paradise Classic

BOCA RATON, FL — Army West Point softball opened the scoring column in Game 2 of opening day, but Indiana’s power-and-pressure third inning proved decisive in an 8–2 loss Friday afternoon at FAU Softball Stadium.

Army (0–2) was held to three hits and left five on base, while Indiana (1–1) scored eight runs on nine hits and took advantage of extra chances created by defensive miscues and wild pitches.

How it happened

First inning: Early traffic, no damage

Army opened the game with Annie Christiana drawing a leadoff walk. Indiana erased the baserunner with a double play, but Ashton White reached on an error to keep the inning alive before the Hoosiers escaped.

In the bottom half, Amanda Eaglin worked around a leadoff single by A. VanBrandt, stranding a runner and recording her first strikeout of the season to keep it scoreless.

Second inning: Indiana manufactures the first run

Army went down in order in the second. Indiana then struck first without a hit-driven rally: M. Strader reached on an error, moved up on a groundout and a sacrifice, and then stole home as E. Goins stole second — an unearned run that made it 1–0.

Third inning: The swing inning

Army was retired in order again in the top of the third, and Indiana broke the game open in the bottom half.

• VanBrandt singled to set the table.
• A. Cooper ripped an RBI triple.
• A. Parker followed with a two-run home run.
• J. Bird went back-to-back with a solo homer.

The four-run burst pushed Indiana’s lead to 5–0 and chased Eaglin after two innings. Freshman Ashlyn Wright entered for her first collegiate appearance and helped stabilize the frame.

Fourth inning: Army answers with its first runs of 2026

Army finally found momentum in the fourth.

Taylor Brown led off with a double to right-center, and White followed with a single to right, moving Brown to third.

Then Army cashed in without a ball leaving the infield: on back-to-back wild pitches, Brown scored and White came home right behind her — Army’s first two runs of the season, cutting the deficit to 5–2.

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Indiana answered immediately in the bottom of the fourth. E. Goins singled, VanBrandt walked, and Cooper delivered again with a two-RBI single to make it 6–2. Another wild pitch brought home an additional run, extending the lead to 7–2.

Wright exited after 1.1 innings, and Breanna Izzo entered for her second appearance of the day. Izzo helped limit further damage, including a key out at the plate to end the inning.

Fifth inning: Insurance run

Christiana drew her second walk of the game in the fifth, but Army couldn’t bring her home. Indiana tacked on one more in the bottom half when H. Haberstro doubled to right to drive in B. Mannon, pushing the lead to 8–2.

Sixth inning: Defense flashes

Army’s defense showed a bright spot in the sixth, turning its first double play of the season. With two on, Indiana grounded into a 3B unassisted double play that erased the lead runner and helped Army escape without further scoring.

Seventh inning: Late chance, rally cut short

Army put together its best late push in the seventh.

• Emma Murchison walked to lead off.
• Maisi Sigler reached on a fielder’s choice.
• Pinch hitter Hannah Laub doubled to center to put two in scoring position.

But Indiana ended the threat with a groundout to short, sealing the 8–2 final.

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By the numbers

• Final: Indiana 8, Army West Point 2
• Army: 2 runs, 3 hits, 1 error
• Indiana: 8 runs, 9 hits, 2 errors
• Extra-base hits (Army): Brown 2B; Laub 2B
• Extra-base hits (Indiana): Cooper 3B; Parker HR; Bird HR; Haberstro 2B
• Notable (Army):
  • Taylor Brown: 1-for-3, R, 2B
  • Ashton White: 1-for-3, R
  • Annie Christiana: 2 BB
• Notable (Indiana):
  • A. Cooper: 2-for-2, 3 RBI, 3B, BB
  • A. Parker: HR, 2 RBI, BB
  • A. VanBrandt: 2-for-2, 2 R, 2 BB, SB

On deck

Army continues the FAU Paradise Classic on Saturday:

• vs. Delaware — 9 a.m. ET
• vs. No. 25 Ohio State — 3:45 p.m. ETBoth games stream on FloCollege.

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