SOFTBALL SPLITS AT CHARLESTON TOURNAMENT TO OPEN SEASON

Friday, February 16

Mt. Pleasant, S.C.

12:30 p.m.

James Madison University

Manhattan

2/16/2007 5:00:00 AM | Softball

CHARLESTON, S.C., Feb. 17, 2007 ? The James Madison University softball team opened its season with a pair of games in Charleston S.C. The Dukes were defeated 4-1 by North Dakota State in the first game and won the second over Manhattan 4-2.

The first game stayed scoreless until the fourth inning when Melissa Chmielewski singled to center field, scoring two runs after teammates Lynnae Fosag had reached on a single and Laurel Pipken reached on a throwing error. The Bison would not relinquish the lead after the fourth.

Sophomore Julia Dominguez (Sterling, Va./Park View) had the lone run for JMU in the game after she blasted her first home run of the season over the left-field fence, just barely staying fair, in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Sophomore Jenny Clohan (Ashburn, Va./Broad Run) pitched a complete game for JMU giving up five hits, no earned runs, and striking out four.

Pinch hitter Aimee Enzler drove in the final two runs for North Dakota State.

Against Manhattan, JMU found more offense and put up four runs and seven hits to earn the first victory of the season.

Manhattan put up a run in the first, but the Dukes bounced back with a run of their own when junior Jenn Chavez (Upland, Calif./Upland) knocked in freshman Brittany Lyddane (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park), who reached base on a single of her own.

The game stayed tied until JMU took the lead in the fourth when sophomore Kaitlyn Wernsing (Clemmons, N.C./West Forsyth) scored on a sacrifice bunt by Brittney Dyson (Waldorf, Md./Thomas Stone), who reached on the fielder's choice.

JMU added two more runs in the fifth inning and Manhattan added one in the sixth to give the Dukes their first win of the season.

Sophomore Meredith Felts (Greenville, N.C./J.H. Rose) pitched a complete game for JMU, giving up two runs on four hits and striking out 10.

The Dukes have two games on Feb. 18 in the College of Charleston Tournament. JMU plays the College of Charleston at 5:30 p.m. and Manhattan at 8 p.m.