Softball Slays Dragons in CAA Softball Doubleheader Sweep

Friday, March 29

Harrisonburg, Va

3:00 PM

James Madison University

22-7, 4-0

Drexel

10-19, 0-4

Drexel

James Madison

Softball Slays Dragons in CAA Softball Doubleheader Sweep

3/29/2013 11:19:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

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HARRISONBURG, Va., March 29, 2013 -- Freshman pitcher/first baseman Jailyn Ford (Hot Springs, Va./Bath County) tossed a one-hit shutout and hit two home runs to help guide the James Madison softball team to a Colonial Athletic Association doubleheader sweep over Drexel on Friday. JMU won game one at Veterans Memorial Park 8-0 in six innings and followed that with an 11-1, six-inning win in game two.

The sweep ran the Dukes' winning streak to seven games and improved them to 23-7 overall and 5-0 in the CAA. Drexel dropped to 10-20 and 0-5 in the league.

Ford finished her day going 3-for-6 with two homers, seven RBI and three runs scored. She added her sixth shutout of the year in the circle and struck out seven to pick up her 11th win.

JMU also received a complete-game effort from sophomore right-hander Heather Kiefer (Potomac Falls, Va./Potomac Falls) as she picked up the win in game two. She won her sixth straight decision to improve 8-3 on the season, allowing one unearned run on five hits and two walks. The Potomac Falls, Va., native extended her streak without allowing an earned run 22 2/3 innings.

Rose Portiolli took the loss for the Dragons to drop to 1-3 on the year. She allowed six runs on nine hits and a walk. Jess O'Hara gave up five runs on four hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings of relief.

Offensively, Madison racked up 13 hits in 27 at-bats and stole a school-record tying seven bases in the game. Senior center fielder Jasmine Butler (Winter Garden, Fla./West Orange) led the way on the base paths with three steals. She improved her season total to 25 and broke the previous single-season school record held by Chel'sea Ryan (2007-11). Butler also went 2-for-2 at the plate with two runs scored and two walks. Ford finished 2-for-4 with a grand slam, two runs and four RBIs while freshman second baseman Hannah Hayes (LaCrosse, Va./Kenston Forest) went 3-for-3 with a run and a RBI. Sophomore right fielder Sarah Mooney (Huntersville, N.C./North Mecklenburg) reached base four times with two singles, two walks, adding three runs and a RBI.

Portiolli and left fielder Hanna Parrish each went 2-for-3 to pace the Dragons. Right fielder Maggy Fermo had the only other hit for Drexel, going 1-for-2 with a walk.

JMU grabbed a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Mooney and junior shortstop Caitlin Sandy (Fayetteville, N.C./Jack Britt) provided run scoring hits. Sophomore left fielder Morgan Heath (Yorktown, Va./Grafton) led of the game with a single. She stole second ahead of a walk by Butler that put two on with nobody out. After a fielder's choice, Mooney hit a sharp grounder through the hole on the right side that scored Butler from second and advanced freshman catcher Erica Field (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park) to third. Mooney stole second in the ensuing at bat and Sandy capped the inning with a two-run single up the middle.

The Dukes extended the lead to 6-0 in the third inning, receiving a two-out, two run single by senior third baseman Haley Johnson (Ashburn, Va./Broad Run) that was followed by an RBI single from Hayes.

Drexel capitalized on three Madison errors in the top of the sixth to get a run back. Center fielder Comfort Ahonkhai scored the run after the Dukes threw the ball away in a run down.

Ford's first career grand sl