No. 11 Dukes Open Home Slate with Sweep of Virginia Tech

Wednesday, March 29

Harrisonburg, Va.

5 p.m.

James Madison University

27-4

Virginia Tech

13-17

Virginia Tech

James Madison

No. 11 Dukes Open Home Slate with Sweep of Virginia Tech

3/29/2017 11:03:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 @JMU_Softball Game One Box Game Two Box Photo Gallery 2017 Statistics Highlights

HARRISONBURG, Va. – After 30 consecutive road contests, No. 11 James Madison softball opened its home slate with a doubleheader sweep of in-state foe Virginia Tech inside Veterans Memorial Park on Wednesday.

Behind junior Megan Good's 12th shutout of the season, the Dukes opened the doubleheader with a 2-0 victory. The Hokies rallied late in the seventh inning of the second contest, but the Dukes held on for a 7-6 win to sweep the series. JMU improved to 28-4 overall while the Hokies fell to 13-18.

Senior outfielder Taylor Newton led the Dukes at the plate going 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs to set JMU's all-time career RBI record. Freshman outfielder Cambry Arnold went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI while junior infielder Morgan Tolle scored three runs and knocked two hits to extend her hit streak to 11 consecutive games.

Good improved to 19-1 in the circle with her 12th shutout of the season. She allowed just three hits over seven innings while striking out eight.

Redshirt sophomore Jessica McCabe notched her second win after pitching four innings of relief in game two of the doubleheader. McCabe allowed five runs off seven hits while striking out one. Freshman Odicci Alexander earned the start in game two, pitching a total of three innings. Alexander allowed one run off two hits and two walks while striking out four. The right-hander returned to the game in the seventh inning to record her first career save.

Tolle opened Wednesday's slate with a single to right field before scoring on Newton's double down the right field line to give JMU a 1-0 lead after one inning.

The Dukes added their final run in the bottom of the third as JMU loaded the bases with two outs after a single from Good, a walk to Newton and a hit by pitch to Alexander. Senior infielder Madyson Moran singled up the middle to plate pinch runner redshirt sophomore Kassie Brammer and put the Dukes up 2-0.

Good preserved the win by retiring a streak of 11 consecutive batters and scattering three hits over seven innings.
Wednesday's second contest began in similar fashion. After Arnold singled to deep short and swiped second and third base, the freshman scored on Newton's infield single to the pitcher.

The Dukes led off the bottom of the second with a single off the bat of sophomore infielder Paige Mitchell and a walk issued to freshman infielder Madison Naujokas. Arnold singled to third base to plate one run before a RBI single from Good and a RBI double from Newton pushed JMU's lead to 4-0.

Virginia Tech got a run back in the top of third taking by knocking an RBI double after back-to-back walks issued by Alexander. The Dukes push their lead back up to four runs in the bottom of the fourth. After Tolle doubled and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Arnold, she scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Newton.

The Hokies responded in the top of the fifth with a solo home run to cut JMU's lead to 5-2, but junior pinch hitter Jessica Mrozek launched a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to put the Dukes on top 7-2. Virginia Tech knocked three home runs in the top of the seventh to pull within one, but Alexander re-entered the game to force a pop up for the save.

QUOTING COACH DEAN
"I took time to speak with the team because the freshmen have never played a home game. I knew it was going to be pretty electric. I said you're going to be nervous, but that's okay. Once we get going, the fans are either going to love you or going to hate you, and nothing's going to change their minds. Just play the game. We did a nice job of that. Any time you win ball games, it is going to create momentum. We want to make sure we continue to work hard and do the little things. The little things add up and allow us to do the big things."

TWEET OF THE GAME

B4 | With a sacrifice fly to left field, Taylor Newton is your NEW RBI Queen! ???? #GoDukes pic.twitter.com/9IKu31R1vs
— JMU Softball (@JMU_Softball) March 30, 2017

NEWTON CROWNED RBI QUEEN
With four RBIs over Wednesday's doubleheader, Taylor Newton became JMU's all-time leader in career RBIs with 156. The previous program record was held by JMU great Jailyn Ford who drove in 155 runs over her decorated career.

"It means a lot considering I beat Jailyn Ford and Erica Field, both of whom I played with and am really great friends with," Newton said. "They both had my support. It's nice to have that under my belt."

PLAY OF THE GAME

TOLLE EXTENDS STREAK TO ELEVEN
With hits in both games against the Hokies, Morgan Tolle extended her hit streak to a team-best 11 consecutive games. Before the streak began, Tolle was last amongst starters with a .234 average at the plate with just 10 runs off 15 hits and six RBIs. She has risen her average to .343 with 22 runs scored and 35 hits. She has slugged nine extra-base hits, eight coming over the 11-game hit streak, with 12 RBIs.

PHOTO OF THE GAME - VIEW FULL GALLERY

Megan Good continued her dominance in the circle with her NCAA-leading 12th shutout of her junior season.

UP NEXT
The Dukes continue their seven-game home stand on Saturday, April 1 with a doubleheader against Colonial Athletic Association foe College of Charleston. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.