#4 VIRGINIA CLAIMS 9-4 WIN OVER JMU

Tuesday, April 6

Charlottesville, Va.

6:00 PM

James Madison University

15-13

Virginia

24-6

James Madison

Virginia

4/7/2010 2:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., April 6, 2010 - James Madison received 14 walks from Virginia pitchers but stranded a season-high 16 runners thanks to a JMU record-tying 18 strikeouts in a 9-4 UVA win in a non-conference baseball game on Tuesday night at Davenport Field.

Virginia, ranked fourth nationally by Baseball America, improved to 24-6 and swept the season series with the Dukes after winning 6-3 in Harrisonburg on March 17. JMU fell to 15-13 for the season.

JMU head coach Spanky McFarland, who was ejected in the sixth inning for arguing balls and strikes, felt it was difficult for the JMU batters to gain any rhythm at the plate. He stated, "If you read the box score you can figure out what happened in this game. We struck out 18 times and they struck out once. They walked 14 batters and we walked five. Those numbers pretty much tell it all."

The 18 strikeouts by JMU batters matched the school record set in 1984 against Maryland. The 16 runners left on base were the most since last April at George Washington and the 14 walks were the most since April, 2007 at GWU. JMU had 20 total base runners in the game. The Dukes stranded 10 runners in the first five innings with strikeouts accounting for 13 of the 15 total outs recorded.

Justin Thompson earned the win as the third of seven Virginia pitchers in the game. All seven of his outs recorded were via strikeout while facing 10 batters.

Redshirt senior Jason Kuhn (Stafford, Va./Brooke Point) took the loss to drop to 1-2 after allowing six runs, five earned, on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings.

JMU had five total hits in the contest with senior second baseman Mike Fabiaschi (Torrington, Conn./Torrington) smacking a solo home run and drawing a game-high three walks. Redshirt junior first baseman Trevor Knight (Charlottesville, Va./St. Anne's-Belfield) had an RBI double for the only other extra-base hit for the Dukes.

Shortstop Tyler Cannon paced the UVA offense with three hits, including a double, and two RBIs. Designated hitter Stephen Bruno, left fielder John Barr, right fielder Kenny Swab, and third baseman Chris Taylor each had two hits in the 14-hit Virginia attack.

Virginia starter Will Roberts showed shaky control from the beginning as freshman outfielder Johnny Bladel (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) led off with a walk and Knight sent a three ball, one strike pitch to the gap in right center for an RBI double, extending his hitting streak to 18 games. After a strikeout and another walk by junior shortstop David Herbek (Haymarket, Va./Battlefield), Virginia made the early call to the bullpen to Shane Halley. An eight-pitch walk by sophomore catcher Jake Lowery (Midlothian, Va./Cosby) loaded the bases before a strikeout and a diving stop by Steven Proscia at first on a groundout stranded three.

In the bottom of the first, consecutive one-out singles, a double steal, and a walk loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly to left by center fielder Jarrett Parker scored Cannon to tie the score at 1-1.

Fabiaschi led off the second for JMU with a solo shot to left on a full-count offering from Halley, the second round tripper of the season for the senior. The Dukes proceeded to put runners on the corners with a pair of two-out, full-count walks and a steal of third by Knight, but a strikeout escaped further damage.

After a pair of flyouts in the Virginia second, Taylor laid down a bunt single and moved to second on a throwing error by senior third baseman <>