Dukes Drop 8-7 Heartbreaker in Series Finale with Charleston

Sunday, March 29

Harrisonburg, Va.

2 p.m.

James Madison University

10-14, 0-6

College of Charleston

17-7, 6-0

Charleston

James Madison

Dukes Drop 8-7 Heartbreaker in Series Finale with Charleston

3/29/2015 7:17:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. - The James Madison baseball team racked up 12 hits on Sunday afternoon, but fell in an 8-7 heartbreaker to visiting College of Charleston in Colonial Athletic Association action at Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park.

The Dukes quieted the Charleston bats, holding the Cougars to just four hits through the first eight innings, but seven runs in the top of the ninth inning put a victory out of reach as JMU fell to 10-14 (0-6 CAA) on the season. With the sweep, Charleston improved to 17-7 (6-0 CAA) in 2015.

Senior right-hander Derek Shifflett turned in his best start of the season on Sunday, holding the Cougar offense to three earned runs on its four hits across his eight innings after Charleston had averaged 16.5 hits and 11 runs in the opening two games of the series.

On the offensive side, senior right fielder Kevin Husum led the way with a 3-for-4 day, including a pair of triples, two runs and an RBI. Junior shortstop Chad Carroll, sophomore first baseman Brett Johnson and junior third baseman Kyle Weston all added a pair of hits for JMU, while Carroll had two doubles and Johnson collected three RBI.

JMU picked up its first run in the fourth inning after the two teams traded zeroes for the opening three frames. With two outs, Husum hammered a 2-1 pitch to right-center for a triple and Weston bounced the next pitch through the left side for a single that brought Husum home and gave the Dukes their first lead of the weekend at 1-0.

The Dukes struck for four more runs on four hits in the fifth after Carroll started the rally with a double to right-center. Carroll baited Charleston into an errant pickoff throw to take third base, then freshman second baseman Kyle McPherson walked on seven pitches and stole second.

Johnson picked up the first two runs of the frame with a single through the right side to put JMU up 3-0 and Husum drilled his second triple of the game on an 0-2 pitch to score Johnson from first and make it 4-0. Weston put the cap on the inning on the first pitch he saw, lashing a hard grounder off the pitcher's glove for an infield single that brought Husum home and gave the Dukes a 5-0 lead.

Charleston scratched a run across in the top of the seventh with a one-out double and a two-out single through the left side, setting the table for its ninth-inning comeback.

After loading the bases with nobody out in their final frame, the Cougars scored seven runs on just two hits to take an 8-5 advantage, using a fielder's choice, a sacrifice fly, a hit batsman and a bases-clearing double to put the Dukes in a three run hole.

JMU did not go quietly, scoring a pair of runs on three hits in its final frame. Sophomore pinch hitter Ky Parrott led off the inning with a single up the middle and Carroll followed with a double to left field on the next pitch. After an RBI groundout from McPherson and an RBI single from Johnson made it 8-7, the Dukes were able to get the tying run to second base before Charleston escaped the inning with the win.

Sophomore reliever Michael Evans took the loss for JMU, falling to 2-3 on the year, while Charleston reliever Chase Henry got the win for Charleston, yielding the two earned runs in the ninth to wrap up three innings out of the bullpen.

The Dukes will hit the road for a pair of midweek, non-conference games this week. JMU will head to Farmville, Va. for a 6 p.m. matchup with Longwood on Tuesday, March 31, before traveling north to College Park, Md. for a 4 p.m. contest at Maryland on Wednesday, April 1.