SOFTBALL COMES FROM BEHIND FOR 3-2 WIN

Sunday, February 22

Columbia, S.C.

11 a.m.

James Madison University

Eastern Illinois

2/22/2009 5:00:00 AM | Softball

COLUMBIA, S.C., Feb. 22, 2009 ? The James Madison softball team scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to record a 3-2 come-from-behind win over Eastern Illinois on Sunday. JMU wrapped up the Gamecock Invitational with a 4-0 record, the second consecutive perfect weekend for the Dukes.

Madison extended its winning streak to nine games and improved to 10-3. The Panthers fell to 7-2.

The Dukes took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring all of their runs on a three-run blast by senior catcher Julia Dominguez (Sterling, Va./Park View). Senior pitcher Meredith Felts (Greenville, Va./J.H. Rose) led off the inning with a walk and sophomore pinch runner Melissa Hill (Santee, Calif./Westhills) moved to third on a single to right-center by junior first baseman Shannon Moxey (Church Road, Va./Mills Godwin). After a pair of strikeouts by EIU starter Kathleen Jacoby, Dominguez battled the right-hander to a 2-2 count before launching an offering deep over the left-field fence.

Felts took care of the rest for JMU as she threw her third complete game of the season. The right-hander allowed five hits and two unearned runs, walked two and struck out nine to improve to 3-1 on the season.

The Panthers struck first, scoring a pair of unearned runs in the top of the third inning. Shortstop Megan Nelson singled through the left side, and she stole second with one out. She scored on second baseman Sarah Coppert's infield chopper that was thrown away by the JMU infield. Coppert scored a batter later when Denee' Menzione laced a single to right field that junior right fielder Kendra Johnson (Virginia Beach, Va./Green Run) was unable to come up with a diving catch.

The Dukes did not allow an earned run all weekend an