Dukes Close Weekend with Split Versus Stony Brook & Maryland

Sunday, March 8

Harrisonburg, Va.

2:30 p.m.

James Madison University

9-6

Stony Brook

5-8

Stony Brook

James Madison

Dukes Close Weekend with Split Versus Stony Brook & Maryland

3/8/2015 7:58:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

HARRISONBURG, Va. - James Madison closed its first weekend of home softball with a split, falling 6-4 to Stony Brook, before downing Maryland 10-5 on the final day of the JMU Dukes Invitational on Sunday at Veterans Memorial Park.

Freshman designated player Alyssa Buddle was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after leading the team with a .600 batting average (6-10) with two home runs and seven RBIs, tying for the team high. She was joined on the All-Tournament team by three teammates in junior catcher Erica Field, sophomore short stop Niki Prince and freshman second baseman Morgan Tolle.

The Dukes took their record to 10-6 on the season as they prepare for a week-long road trip, which they will play seven games. JMU heads to Rock Hill, S.C., for a Tuesday doubleheader at Winthrop before traveling to Orlando, Fla., for the UCF Spring Fling Tournament, which it will take on UIC, Fairfield, Monmouth, Butler and host UCF from March 13-15.

Game 1: Stony Brook 6, James Madison 4
Stony Brook reeled off six straight runs over the final two innings to rally past James Madison, 6-4, on Sunday afternoon.

Trailing 4-0, the Seawolves (5-8) cut the deficit in the half with a pair of runs in the sixth, scoring on a tag up off a deep fly ball and a wild pitch, to make it 4-2 heading to the seventh. In the top half of the last inning, Alexandra Pisciotta singled to drive in a run to make it a one-run game, and on the ensuing at-bat, Shayla Giosia belted a home run over the center field wall to give the visitors a 5-4 lead. Bria Green followed that up with a solo shot to left center for the game's final run of the game.

Giosia was one of three Seawolf players to record multi-hit games, going 2-for-4 with 2 RBI and two runs. Pisciotta also went 2-for-4 with a RBI and run while Green had a pair of hits in three at-bats, matching Giosia with two runs.

Allison Cukrov earned the win in the circle, going to 1-0 after allowing four runs and six hits in her complete game. Junior pitcher Jailyn Ford took the loss for the Dukes, dropping to 3-4 after conceding six runs and nine hits. Both pitchers struck out eight batters each.

Freshman first baseman Megan Good went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run, which put the Dukes up 3-0 in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore short stop Niki Prince also had a 1-for-2 game as she hit a RBI double down the left-field line in the fifth for JMU's final run of the contest.

Game 2: James Madison 10, Maryland 5
James Madison used three innings of scoring three or more runs to earn a 10-5 victory against Maryland in the tournament finale Sunday evening.

The Dukes put up four runs in the first and three in both the third and fifth innings to account for all of their runs.

Freshman designated player Alyssa Buddle went 2-for-3 with a home run and game-high four RBIs. Junior catcher Erica Field also hit 2-for-4 with three RBIs while sophomore short stop Niki Prince was the lone player on either side two cross home plate twice.

Freshman pitcher Megan Good kept to her winning ways, moving to 5-0 after tossing a complete game, giving up five runs, seven hits and four walks. Taking the loss for the Terrapins (14-9) was Hannah Dewey, who threw just one inning, allowing four runs and five hits. Maryland's bullpen combined for six runs (five earned) in the other five innings.

JMU built an early 4-0 lead before the second out of the inning was produced by the Maryland defense. Field doubled up the middle to score Prince and after Newton grounded out to score Field, Buddle and freshman second baseman both had RBI singles to get JMU off to a hot start.

After Maryland got a run back on a Mandy Gardner solo home run in the second, JMU tacked on three more one inning later when Buddle blasted her second three-run home run in as many days to left center to give the Dukes a 7-1 lead.

Maryland got the game back to two runs in the fifth when Lauren Schmeiser had a two-RBI double to right center and Dewey followed that up with a two-run homer to left to get the Terps to within 7-5.

JMU answered in the bottom half of the fifth, however as it loaded the bases for Field, who cleared the bases with a double to the right side to make it a 10-5 ballgame. Maryland threatened in the seventh by putting runners on each base but Good forced Maryland into a ground out to end the game.

JMU Dukes Invitational All-Tournament Team:
Alyssa Buddle, JMU – Most Valuable Player
Erica Field, JMU
Niki Prince, JMU
Morgan Tolle, JMU
Shannon Bustillos, Maryland
Erin Pronobis, Maryland
Kaitlyn Schmeiser, Maryland
Erin Burner, St. John's
Monique Landini, St. John's
Shayla Giosia, Stony Brook
Alexandra Pisciotta, Stony Brook
Lauren Klepchick, Rhode Island