Softball Splits Non-Conference Doubleheader with Longwood

Wednesday, April 9

Harrisonburg, Va.

5 p.m.

James Madison University

28-11

Longwood

25-8

Longwood

James Madison

Softball Splits Non-Conference Doubleheader with Longwood

4/10/2014 12:57:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

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HARRISONBURG, Va., April 9, 2014 – Sophomore pitcher Jailyn Ford (Hot Springs, Va./Bath County) struck out 11 to lead the James Madison softball team to a split in a non-conference doubleheader with Longwood at Veterans Memorial Park, Wednesday. JMU took game one 4-2 behind Ford's complete-game effort before falling to Longwood, 5-1, in game two.

The Dukes lost for only the second time this season at home and only the fourth time in the last two seasons. They ran their season record to 29-12 while Longwood improved to 26-8.

Longwood pitcher Elizabeth McCarthy matched Ford's excellent effort from game one with one of her own in the nightcap. The left-hander earned the win to improve to 10-3, holding the Dukes to one run on five hits and two walks in seven innings of work. She struck out eight.

Junior right-hander Heather Kiefer (Potomac Falls, Va./Potomac Falls) took the loss for Madison to fall to 13-6. She gave up four runs, but just one was earned, on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. The Potomac Falls, Va., native struck out two and did not walk a batter. Kelly Wishard pitched 3 1/3 innings of relief. She gave up one run on three hits.

Offensively, the Lancers were paced by catcher Megan Baltzell who went 3-for-4 with a double and a run while shortstop Emily Murphy was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Left fielder Casey Lifsey added two hits, including a home run, two runs and a RBI.

Freshman center fielder Niki Prince (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) and freshman third baseman Madyson Moran (Taylor Mill, Ky./Holy Cross) combined for four of the Dukes' five hits. Price was 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI while Moran went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Senior shortstop Caitlin Sandy (Fayetteville, N.C./Jack Britt) had Madison's other hit, going 1-for-3 with a single.

The Lancers took advantage of an error by the Dukes to open the scoring in the top of the first. The first three batters reached base as Murphy and Baltzell hit singles sandwiched around a Madison error. After a fielder's choice cut down the first out of the inning, third baseman Carly Adams lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring center fielder Katie Shinrock.

Lifsey made it 2-0 in favor of Longwood with a two-out solo homer in the top of the second.

Two more unearned runs for the Lancers in the top of the fourth extended the advantage to 4-0. A two-out double by Murphy proved to be the decisive blow.

Madison got on the board in the fifth with a RBI double by Prince that scored Moran. The Dukes brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the frame, but McCarthy got out of the jam with a strikeout.

The Lancers tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh on a double by right fielder Chelsea Sciacca that scored Baltzell from first.

Ford earned the win in game one after