Dukes Drop 13-Inning Series Finale at Elon

Sunday, March 22

Elon, N.C.

1:30 p.m.

James Madison University

9-11, 0-3

Elon

11-11, 3-0

James Madison

Elon

3/22/2015 7:37:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

ELON, N.C. - The James Madison baseball team scored three runs in the top of the ninth to force extra innings on Sunday afternoon, but eventually fell to Elon, 8-7 in 13 innings, in the final contest of a three-game Colonial Athletic Association series at Latham Park.

Freshman second baseman Kyle McPherson went 3-for-5 with a double and a pair of runs to lead JMU's offense as the Dukes dropped to 9-11 (0-3 CAA) on the season, while Elon tallied 14 hits to complete the sweep and improve to 11-11 (3-0 CAA).

Junior catcher Bobby San Martin went 2-for-5 with his second home run of the season, scoring a pair of runs and knocking in two more, while junior shortstop Chad Carroll and sophomore designated hitter Ky Parrott also notched a pair of hits for the Dukes on the afternoon.

The Dukes went ahead first, when McPherson drew a one-out walk in the top of the second. After he moved to second on a groundout from sophomore first baseman Brett Johnson, junior third baseman Kyle Weston hit a single through the right side to put JMU up 1-0.

Elon got a solo homer in the second and a two-run shot in the third to go ahead 3-1 before plating three runs on four hits in the fifth to pull out to a 6-1 advantage.

San Martin pulled the Dukes within striking distance in the top of the seventh when he drove McPherson in with a home run to left field. The long ball was the second of 2015 for San Martin and the sixth of his career.

JMU drew one closer in the eighth inning, after junior center fielder Tyler Carroll drew a walk after falling behind 0-2 with one out. Carroll worked his way to third on a wild pitch and a long fly ball, then Parrott bounced a single through the left side to cut the lead to 6-4.

After the Phoenix scored in the bottom of the frame to make it 7-4, JMU used three hits and an Elon error in the ninth to force extra innings. San Martin drew a four-pitch walk to start the inning and sophomore left fielder Josh Wyatt reached on a fielder's choice when a throw intending to start a double play was dropped at second base.

Freshman pinch hitter Michael Sciorra did the first damage with a double to the left field corner, scoring San Martin and moving Wyatt to third, before senior right fielder Kevin Husum plated Wyatt on an RBI groundout. Parrott then tied the contest when he fought off an inside fastball that floated over the second baseman, allowing Sciorra to come home and make it 7-7.

Freshman left-hander Colton Harlow cruised through the extra innings for JMU, facing the minimum in each inning from the ninth to the 12th, before Elon scraped a run across in the bottom of the 13th. After a leadoff walk and a sacrifice bunt to start the inning, a dribbling single to the hole at shortstop and a single into left field brought the winning run across to end things.

Harlow took the hard-luck loss on the day, dropping to 0-1 on the year despite a stellar relief appearance. The freshman surrendered just two hits and one run across five complete innings, striking out four and walking just a pair.

Senior right-hander Derek Shifflett started on the mound for the Dukes, working 4.1 innings, while freshman Tucker McCoy threw three innings in relief. Mike Krill earned the win for Elon, throwing a perfect 1.1 innings and striking out two.

First baseman Chris King had both of the Phoenix' home runs on a 2-for-5 day, while catcher James Venuto went 3-for-4 with an RBI to pace the Elon offense.

The Dukes will be back in action this week when they return home to face Maryland on Tuesday evening. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. as JMU plays its first home contest since March 11.