Hoover Powers Dukes to 7-2 Win over Quinnipiac

Friday, February 27

Harrisonburg, Va.

4 p.m.

James Madison University

3-2

Quinnipiac

0-1

Quinnipiac

James Madison

2/27/2015 8:06:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. - Junior left-hander Aaron Hoover threw eight innings of two-hit ball on Friday night to lead the James Madison baseball team to a 7-2 victory over Quinnipiac in the first game of a four-game series at Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Hoover held the Bobcats almost silent until the Dukes burst out for five runs in the seventh inning to break the game open and improve to 3-2 on the young 2015 season. JMU was held to one hit through the first six innings, but came through in the seventh and eighth innings to hand Quinnipiac a loss in its first game this year.

The Bobcats struck first in the top of the second, plating a run on just one hit. After an error allowed a leadoff runner, a double off the right-center wall and a groundout to shortstop plated Quinnipiac's only run of the first eight innings. Third baseman Scott Donaghue's double also represented the only hit Hoover would allow until the eighth inning.

JMU put a runner on base in all but three innings, but could not muster more than one hit against Bobcat starter Robert Hitt. Sophomore left fielder Josh Wyatt singled and stole second base in the third inning to mark the only Duke in scoring position over the first six innings.

The Dukes broke things open in the seventh, however, scoring five runs on Quinnipiac reliever Joseph Scaglione. After a leadoff strikeout, freshman center fielder Michael Sciorra singled and sophomore first baseman Brett Johnson drew a walk to give JMU its first real threat of the evening.

After a double steal put runners on second and third, freshman second baseman Kyle McPherson knotted things at 1-1 with a groundout to second and junior catcher Bobby San Martin laced a hard grounder that was booted at third base to allow the Dukes to take a 2-1 lead.

Wyatt kept things rolling with a walk after falling behind 0-2 and junior shortstop Chad Carroll followed with a bouncing RBI single up the middle to make it 3-1. Sophomore designated hitter Ky Parrott then ripped a triple to left-center to score both and cap the damage at 5-1.

The Bobcats put runners on first and third with one out in the top of the eighth, but Hoover wrapped up his night by inducing a 6-3 double play to keep JMU on top.

JMU tacked on two more insurance runs in the eighth, both with two outs. McPherson and San Martin were both hit by pitches before Wyatt walked to load the bases and Carroll lined a single to left field to plate two runs and make it a 7-1 lead for the Dukes.

Quinnipiac pulled a run back with a walk, a single and a passed ball on a third strike, but would get no closer as freshman left-hander Eric Yankey struck out one in a one-hit ninth inning.

Hoover's stellar eight-inning outing saw him yield just two hits and no earned runs while striking out eight and walking just a pair. Carroll led the Dukes' offense on the evening, going 2-for-5 with three RBIs and a run. Wyatt also proved a constant threat for JMU, going 1-for-2 with a run and drawing two walks to raise his on-base percentage to .316.

The Dukes and Bobcats are back in action on Saturday for an afternoon doubleheader. The first game is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. with the second contest beginning as soon as possible after the opener.