BURNHAM?S OFFENSE LEADS DUKES TO 8-6 WIN

Sunday, February 21

Charleston, S.C.

11:00 a.m.

James Madison University

3-2

Wagner

0-5

Wagner

James Madison

2/21/2010 7:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

CHARLESTON, S.C., Feb. 21, 2010 - James Madison sophomore shortstop Ashley Burnham (Danvers, Mass./Danvers) went 3-for-3 with a home run and four RBI to lead the JMU softball team to an 8-6 win over Wagner at the CofC Cougar Classic at Patriot's Point Field in Charleston, S.C. on Sunday.

The Dukes improved to 3-2 and finished the weekend sweep of the Seahawks after a 3-0 win on Friday. Wagner ended the Cougar Classic without a win and fell to 0-5 this season.

Burnham gave the Dukes the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth inning with two-run single with the bases loaded. The Danvers, Mass. native battled with Seahawk right-hander Danielle Wagoner for eight pitches before lofting a soft fly ball into right field to score two.

In total, Burnham finished her day with three hits, a career-high four RBI, two runs scored, a walk and three stolen bases, also a career-high. She paced the JMU offense all weekend, hitting .471 with five runs, five RBI, four stolen bases and eight hits, including a double, a triple and two home runs.

Freshman right-hander Heather Dindinger (Riner, Va./Auburn) closed out Wagner in the seventh to pick up her first career save. A one-out walk allowed the tying run to come to the plate but Dindinger induced a fly out before striking out designated player Christina Pinkus to end the game. She relieved fellow freshman Cara Stecher (New Castle, Del./Caravel Academy) who pitched 2 1/3 innings of relief to pick up her second win. Stecher allowed three hits, two earned runs, struck out two and walked none to improve to 2-2.

The Seahawks opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, pushing across a single run off junior right-hander Olivia McPherson (Liberty, N.C./Southern Alamance). Left fielder Krysta Fauria led off the game with a double down the right-field line and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by center fielder Emily Pierce. Second baseman Erin Cuevas plated her with a sacrifice fly to right field.

Madison responded in the bottom half of the inning, taking advantage of its speed to take a 2-1 lead. Burnham led off the inning with a walk before stealing second and moving to third on freshman center fielder Jasmine Butler's (Winter Garden, Fla./West Orange) bunt single. On the first pitch of the next at bat, Butler took off for second, drawing a throw from the Wagner catcher, allowing Burnham to steal home. After the double steal, Butler moved to third on a fly ball by senior first baseman Shannon Moxey (Church Road, Va./Mills Godwin) allowing freshman designated player Haley Johnson (Ashburn, Va./Broad Run) to pick up her first career RBI with a sacrifice fly to center.

Butler was 2-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base, while Johnson was 1-for-2 with a double and two RBI.