Dukes Drop Pair at PK5 Classic

Sunday, March 15

Richmond, Va.

2:30 p.m.

James Madison University

9-6

Monmouth

2-10

James Madison

Monmouth

3/16/2015 12:38:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

RICHMOND, Va. - The James Madison baseball team could not overcome a handful of defensive miscues on Sunday, as the Dukes dropped a pair of non-conference games against Monmouth and VCU at the PK5 Classic, hosted by VCU at The Diamond.

JMU lost a 7-6 heartbreaker to Monmouth in the early game, yielding a walk-off RBI double in the bottom of the ninth inning, before losing a 7-1 decision to VCU in the nightcap to fall to 9-7 in 2015. Monmouth and VCU improved to 2-10 and 8-8, respectively, with their victories.

Sophomore first baseman Brett Johnson continued his solid weekend at the plate, going 3-for-6 with a run across the pair of games, while sophomore left fielder Josh Wyatt was 3-for-8 with a pair of RBI, a stolen base and a run.

Sophomore designated hitter Ky Parrott blasted his second home run of the weekend in Sunday's early game, en route to a 2-for-5 day with two RBI and a stolen base.

The Dukes jumped out early in the first game of the day, scoring in four of the first five innings against Monmouth before the Hawks exploded for six runs in the fifth inning.

Junior catcher Bobby San Martin started the scoring with a two-out double to right field in the second inning that plated senior right fielder Kevin Husum, while Wyatt and freshman center fielder Michael Sciorra both picked up RBI singles in the third to put JMU up 3-0.

After freshman third baseman Bradley McKay doubled to lead off the fourth, Wyatt grabbed another RBI with a single through the left side to make the lead four. Parrott completed the early onslaught by driving in junior third baseman Kyle Weston with a one-out single in the fifth that gave the Dukes a five-run lead.

In the bottom half of the frame, however, the Hawks made their move. Monmouth scored six runs on four hits, three walks and a crucial two-out error to come all the way back and take a 6-5 lead.

Parrott made it 6-6 in the seventh with his third homer of the season, clearing the fence just inside the right field foul pole as he did on Friday, but a single and a sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the ninth put the Hawks in position to seal the victory on Dan Shea's walk-off double to right field.

Freshman Tucker McCoy took the loss in relief for the Dukes, after senior starter Derek Shifflett threw five innings for the Dukes.

In the second contest, VCU scored in just three different innings and tallied only three earned runs against a trio of JMU pitchers, but the Dukes could manage just one run on five hits in the loss.

The Rams took a lead they would not relinquish in the first inning, using three straight singles and a pair of errant JMU throws to score three runs after retiring the Dukes in order in the top half of the frame.

JMU pulled a run back in the second when Johnson singled, advanced on a passed ball and scored on a base hit from Husum, but the Dukes would tally just three hits over the final seven innings as VCU pulled away down the stretch.

Sophomore starter Ford Bradshaw was saddled with the loss, despite allowing only one earned run on six hits through six complete innings, while senior Heath Dwyer struck out seven Dukes and gave up the singular unearned run in 6.1 innings to move to 3-1 on the year.

JMU will be back in action on Wednesday, when it travels to Fairfax, Va. for a midweek matchup at George Mason. The contest is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. and will be the Dukes' final game before starting Colonial Athletic Association play with a three-game series at Elon over the weekend.