Softball Nipped in Pitchers' Duel with No. 2/4 Oregon

Friday, March 14

Honolulu, Hawai'i

9:30 p.m.

James Madison University

17-9

Oregon

21-2

James Madison

Oregon

3/15/2014 4:20:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

HONOLULU, Hawai'i, March 15, 2014 – No. 2/4 Oregon scored the game-winning run on a throwing error in the bottom of the seventh inning to walk off with a win over the James Madison softball team in the final game of round robin play in the 2014 Pepsi Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu, Hawai'i, Friday.

JMU saw its nine-game winning streak come to an end as it fell to 3-1 in the tournament and 17-9 on the season. Oregon has won 21 of its last 22 to run its record to 21-2 this season.

Sophomore left-handed pitchers, USA Junior National Team teammates, Jailyn Ford (Hot Springs, Va./Bath County) and Cheridan Hawkins matched each other pitch for pitch through six innings in an entertaining pitchers' duel. Hawkins earned the win after shutting JMU out, improving to 12-2. She allowed three hits and walked a batter to go with five strikeouts in seven innings pitched.

Ford was saddled with the loss despite not allowing an earned run. The 2013 CAA Rookie of the Year limited the Ducks to one run on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings while falling to 9-5 on the season. She struck out four and walked one.

Two of JMU's three hits were for extra bases as sophomore catcher Erica Field (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park) went 1-for-3 with a triple and freshman center fielder Niki Prince (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) was 1-for-3 with a double. Freshman right fielder Taylor Newton (Bradenton, Fla./Lakewood Ranch) reached base twice with a single and a walk in three trips to the plate.

Alyssa Gillespie paced the offense for Oregon, going 3-for-3 with a trio of singles. Designated player Kailee Cuico was 2-for-3 with a double and shortstop Nikki Udria doubled and scored the game's sole run in three trips to the plate.

Udria led off the seventh inning with a double to left-center field to help Oregon walk off with the win. After a pop-out, Gillespie bluffed a bunt, pulling the third baseman in while Udria attempted to steal third. The Madison throw got past senior shortstop Caitlin Sandy (Fayetteville, N.C./Jack Britt) and rolled into left field, allowing Udria to trot home with the game-winning run.

The Dukes close out their trip to Hawai'i on Sunday at 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time in bracket play of the Pepsi Rainbow Wahine Classic. JMU is the second seed for bracket play heading into determine and will find out its opponent later this morning.