JMU TAKES DOWN DELAWARE 8-7 IN 10 INNINGS

Friday, April 17

Newark, Del.

3:00 PM

James Madison University

22-17, 7-6

Delaware

21-13, 7-6

James Madison

Delaware

4/17/2009 10:45:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

NEWARK, Del., April 17, 2009 ? Redshirt junior catcher Chris Johnson (Shrewsbury, N.J./Red Bank Regional) singled in the winning run in the top of the 10^th as James Madison defeated Delaware 8-7 in the opener of a three-game Colonial Athletic Association baseball series on Friday afternoon at Bob Hannah Stadium.

JMU improved to 22-17 overall and 7-6 in the CAA with its fifth straight victory, the longest winning streak of the season. UD dropped to 21-13 for the year and 7-6 in the league. The Dukes defeated the Blue Hens for the fifth straight time and the ninth time in 11 games.

JMU jumped out to a commanding 7-0 lead in the game, only to see Delaware rally for seven runs in the sixth inning to tie the game.

After Johnson helped send the game to extra innings with a strikeout, caught stealing double play in the ninth, he earned the big hit for the Dukes in the 10^th. Junior second baseman Mike Fabiaschi (Torrington, Conn./Torrington) drilled a one-out double to right that outfielder Bill Merkler lost in the sun. Johnson then lined a single the opposite way to left to drive in Fabiaschi for the game-winner.

Sophomore right-hander Kevin Munson (Roanoke, Va./Cave Spring) retired the side in order to finish the game. He improved to 2-2 on the season with 4 1/3 innings of shutout relief, allowing two hits and striking out six.

The game started as a showdown between the CAA's strikeout leaders as JMU sophomore Turner Phelps (Roanoke, Va./Lord Botetourt) and Delaware's Brian Rorick each entered with 58. Phelps cruised through the first five innings, allowing just three hits, before finishing with 5 2/3 innings and seven runs, five earned, on eight hits with eight strikeouts.

Rorick finished with seven runs allowed on 13 hits with six strikeouts in seven innings. Corey Crispell took the loss with three innings in relief, allowing one run on three hits with four strikeouts.