Charleston Rallies Past Dukes' Softball for 4-2 Win

Sunday, March 30

Charleston, S.C.

Noon

James Madison University

23-11, 4-2

College of Charleston

24-12, 4-2

James Madison

Charleston

3/30/2014 5:46:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

CHARLESTON, S.C., March 30, 2014 – The James Madison softball team jumped out to a 2-0 lead early, but Charleston rallied for a 4-2 win to take a Colonial Athletic Association series from JMU at Patriots Point in Charleston, S.C., Sunday.

The loss drops the Dukes to 23-11 on the season and 4-2 in the CAA. The Cougars won their second straight league series, improving to 24-12 and 4-2 in the conference.

Left-hander Hope Klicker twirled her second consecutive complete game to lead Charleston in the circle. She limited JMU to two runs, one earned, on eight hits in seven innings of work. She struck out seven and walked two.

Sophomore left-hander Jailyn Ford (Hot Springs, Va./Bath County) received the loss to fall to 13-6. She allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits in six innings of work. The left-hander struck out four and walked one.

The top five in the Cougar lineup each recorded a hit to lead the way offensively. Third baseman Kelsey Hodgson led the way going 1-for-2 with a double, a walk and two RBIs. Left fielder Rebecca Mueller chipped in a hit and two runs in three trips to the plate while catcher Mackenzie Maples was 1-for-3 with a RBI.

The Dukes were paced by senior designated player Catherine Clavin (Poquoson, Va./Poquoson) who went 2-for-3 with a double. Ford added a hit and a RBI in three at-bats while senior shortstop Caitlin Sandy (Fayetteville, N.C./Jack Britt) was 1-for-2 with a single and a walk.

As they did twice on Saturday, the Dukes scored first as they pushed two runs across in the top of the first. Freshman center fielder Niki Prince (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) drew a four pitch walk to lead off the game and moved to third on a fielder's choice and a throwing error. Sophomore catcher Erica Field (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park) followed with a grounder to the second baseman who threw home. The throw was wide allowing Prince to slide in safely. Ford followed with a single up the middle allowing senior pinch runner Brittany Jeans (Camano Island, Wash./Stanwood) to score from second.

Charleston battled back for a run in the bottom half of the first, doing all its damage with two outs. Mueller ignited the rally with a single through the right side. She moved to second on a walk and scored on a single up the middle by Maples.

The Cougars took the lead in the third inning as hey scored three times, capped by a two-run double from Hodgson. Shortstop Lizzy Vaughn and right fielder Carly Corthell started the inning with back-to-back bunt singles. Vaughn scored from second on a Madison fielding error before Hodgson lifted a long fly ball off the fence in left field, scoring two.

The Dukes put the tying run on base several times during their final four at-bats, but could not come up with the key hit as it left seven runners on base.

JMU returns to the field on Wednesday as it travels to Blacksburg, Va., for a doubleheader at Virginia Tech. The first pitch is scheduled for 4 p