JMU TAKES BASEBALL SERIES OPENER OVER TOWSON 13-9

Friday, May 13

Harrisonburg, Va.

6:30 p.m.

James Madison University

32-17, 16-9

Towson

25-24-1, 14-11

Towson

James Madison

5/14/2011 2:29:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va., May 13, 2011 - Junior left-hander Sean Tierney (Midlothian, Va./Clover Hill) pitched seven strong innings and junior catcher Jake Lowery (Midlothian, Va./Cosby) drove in five runs to break the season RBIs record as James Madison defeated Towson 13-9 in the opener of a Colonial Athletic Association

JMU (32-17 overall) won its fifth consecutive conference game to improve to 16-9 in the CAA to stand alone in second place. Towson lost its third game in a row to drop to 25-24-1 overall and 14-11 in the CAA. However, the Tigers remained in fourth place thanks to losses by Delaware and Georgia State.

Lowery, who had already set the JMU record for extra-base hits in a season (now 48), added two more with a two-run home run and a three-run triple. The five RBIs gave him the JMU season record with 78, topping the mark of 75 shared by Kellen Kulbacki (2006) and Mark Brockell (1988). It was his seventh game of the season with five or more RBIs. His 22^nd homer of the season put him two shy of Kulbacki's record and his eighth triple tied the JMU record held by Phil Fritz (1984).

Tierney battled through early jams to go seven innings and improve to 8-1 for the season, matching three other players for the CAA lead with eight victories. He scattered six hits and struck out five. He is now 4-0 in his last six appearances with a 1.35 ERA over 33 1/3 innings.

Sophomore first baseman Matt Tenaglia (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East) had two hits with a double, two runs and a walk while extending his hitting streak to 17 games. Sophomore third baseman Johnny Bladel (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) was 2-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored while senior center fielder Alex Foltz (Mathias, W.Va./East Hardy) also had a pair of hits. Sophomore Evan Scott (Haymarket, Va./Battlefield) hit his second pinch-hit home run of the season with a two-run shot in the seventh.

JMU held a slim 2-1 lead after three innings before a pair of big innings gave the Dukes a big lead. A trio of two-out hits in the fourth added four runs before Madison then erupted for six runs in the seventh.

The Dukes carried a 13-2 lead into the ninth, which proved necessary when Towson used five walks and three hits to plate seven in the inning to account for the 13-9 final.

Charlie Cononie took the loss for Towson to fall to 7-3 after surrendering six runs on six hits in six innings with six strikeouts. The six runs were the most he allowed in a game all season as he entered the day with just 24 runs allowed in 71 innings.

Designated hitter Ben Winter was 3-for-4 with a double for the Tigers. Shortstop Nick Natoli was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a walk while first baseman Austin Harclerode also had two hits in the game.

JMU jumped on the board quickly in the first as Bladel beat out an infield single to third. Lowery jumped on a pitch the opposite way to left for his 22^nd home run of the season to tie the season RBIs record at 75.

Towson struck for its first run in the third as left fielder Dominic Fratantuono sped into second with a leadoff double up the middle. He was sacrificed to third and scored on an RBI single up the middle by second baseman Pat Fitzgerald. Towson proceeded to load the bases with a pair of two-out walks, but Tierney recovered to strike out catcher Andrew Parker on three pitches to leave the bases loaded.

In the JMU fourth, freshman designated hitter Ty McFarland (Bridgew

Dukes Set to Prepare for 2026 with Schedule Unveil

Tuesday, December 09

Ikenberry Announces Incoming Signing Class

Monday, November 17

Babcock to be Honored with Induction into VBCA Hall of Fame

Wednesday, November 12

Dooley Named to Staff as Director of Player Development

Tuesday, October 07

Next Event

Towson

W, 7-3

May 14 (Sat)

4:00 p.m.

Box Score Recap History

Full Schedule

Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Tierney, Sean (8-1)

L: Charlie Cononie (7-3)

Towson

Batting:

2B: Ben Winter 1 ; Dominic Fratantuono 1

3B: Chris Wychock 1

RBI: Nick Natoli 2 ; Pat Fitzgerald 1 ; Steve Rice 1 ; Andrew Parker 2 ; Brandon Gonnella 1 ; Dominic Fratantuono 1

SH: Nick Natoli 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Nick Natoli 1 ; Pat Fitzgerald 1 ; Austin Harclerode 1 ; Chris Wychock 1 ; Andrew Parker 1 ; Ben Winter 1 ; Brandon Gonnella 1 ; Dominic Fratantuono 2