Dukes Run-Rule Virginia Twice with 9-1 and 10-2 Triumphs

Wednesday, March 18

Harrisonburg, Va.

5 p.m.

James Madison University

18-6

Virginia

5-22

Virginia

James Madison

Dukes Run-Rule Virginia Twice with 9-1 and 10-2 Triumphs

3/18/2015 9:15:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison produced a plethora of hits as the team combined to bat .535 with six home runs to earn a pair of run-rule victories against Virginia, 9-1 and 10-2, on Wednesday at Veterans Memorial Park.

The Dukes extended their win streak to 10, improving to 19-6 on the season, while the Cavaliers have dropped six in a row to fall to 5-23 in 2015.

Four JMU starters hit at least .600 from the plate, led by freshman Megan Good, who had a .800 batting average on 4-for-5 hitting. She launched a pair of home runs, drove four RBI's and scored three runs. Junior Erica Field hit .667 on 4-for-6 batting with a home run, a team-best five RBI's and two runs. Both junior Jailyn Ford and sophomore Niki Prince turned in .600 hitting clips in the sweep.

JMU's starting pitchers In Good and Ford allowed a combined one unearned run for an unblemished 0.00 ERA, while conceding five hits and two walks.

JMU opens up Colonial Athletic Association play Saturday and Sunday against Towson. Due to TU's field not being playable due to construction delays over the winter months, the series has been moved to the Maryland Softball Stadium on the campus of the University of Maryland in College Park.

Saturday's doubleheader will take place at 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. while Sunday's finale will begin at noon. Admission is free for the entire series.

Game 1: James Madison 9, Virginia 1 (5 innings)
Freshman pitcher Megan Good threw a complete game two-hitter and tallied three hits from the plate to lead James Madison to a 9-1 victory over Virginia in game one of the doubleheader Wednesday evening.

Good improved to 10-0 this season after allowing just one unearned run and two hits, all in the first inning, while striking out five Virginia batters in her five innings pitched. She also went 3-for-4 from the batter's box, with one home run, three RBI's and two runs.

Junior first baseman Jailyn Ford and sophomore center fielder Taylor Newton also hit home runs, as both went 2-for-3 with a combined six RBI's and five runs. Junior catcher Erica Field also had two hits, scoring one run.

Virginia took an early 1-0 lead as Allison Davis moved into scoring position after a passed ball and wild pitch, scoring on a Kaitlin Fitzgerald single to center.

The Dukes answered back with three runs in the bottom half. Good knotted the game at 1-1 when she hit a RBI single to right, scoring sophomore pinch runner Mimi Morris. The following at-bat Ford laced her second triple of the season down the right field line, scoring Good from first. Ford scored the next at-bat when Newton flew out deep in foul territory.

JMU utilized back-to-back home runs in the third as it tacked on three more to double the lead to 6-0. Good blasted a solo home run to left field, her fourth of the season, and Ford followed up with her fifth bomb of the year, which cleared the center field wall. Later in the frame, freshman DP Alyssa Buddle drove in Newton on a fielder's choice.

Madison added two more in the fourth, as Newton went yard to left for a two-run home run, and Good ended the game in the bottom of the fifth with a RBI single through the left side, which scored Field from second base.

Andie Formby took the loss for the Cavaliers, falling to 4-12 after allowing nine runs, 11 hits and four walks in her 4.1 innings pitched.

Game 2: James Madison 10, Virginia 2 (5 innings)
Junior catcher Erica Field tallied a career-high five RBI's and James Madison hit three more home runs in game two of the doubleheader to down Virginia 10-2 for the series sweep on Friday night.

Field finished the game, going 2-for-2 with one home run and five RBI's, to go with one walk. Sophomore shortstop Niki Prince went a perfect 3-for-3 with, scoring each time she reached base while freshman first baseman Megan Good and freshman DP Jessica Mrozek both hit home runs.

Junior pitcher Jailyn Ford pitched four innings and picked up her fourth straight win, improving to 7-4 this year. She allowed three hits while striking out eight UVa batters. Alex Formby was handed the loss after throwing four innings, conceding 10 runs, 12 hits and four walks as she fell to 1-8.

JMU took an early 2-0 lead as Ford hit into a fielder's choice but a throwing error by Madison Labshere allowed Prince to score from third. On the next, at-bat, sophomore center fielder Taylor Newton singled up the middle to score Ford from second base.

The Dukes exploded for four more in the second, to take a commanding 6-0 lead. After sophomore right fielder Tahli Moore and Prince both singled, Field reached on a pitch outside and belted it to left center for her fourth homer of the season, to put JMU up 5-0. Three batters later JMU added another run on a fielder's choice.

The Dukes put up a run in the third and fourth innings as Field hit a two-RBI single through the left side and Good lifted her second home run of the day, a solo shot, to right center, to make it 9-0.

The Cavaliers scored twice in the top of the fifth but the Dukes put the game away in the bottom half, as Mrozek, who pinch hit to lead off the frame, smashed her first career home run over the right center wall to end the game.