No. 19/20 JMU Sweeps Virginia Tech in Front of Record Crowd

Wednesday, April 29

Harrisonburg, Va.

5 p.m.

James Madison University

41-6

Virginia Tech

33-17

Virginia Tech

James Madison

No. 19/20 JMU Sweeps Virginia Tech in Front of Record Crowd

4/29/2015 10:44:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Feeding off the energy of a record-breaking crowd, the No. 19/20 James Madison softball team swept in-state rival Virginia Tech, 4-3 and 10-3, in front of 1,211 fans on Wednesday evening at Veterans Memorial Park.

The Dukes extended the nation's longest win streak to 33 games as they improved to 42-6 on the year while the Hokies fell to 33-18, having lost five in a row. The Dukes finished the regular season going 7-1 against Atlantic Coast Conference teams.

JMU hit .373 as a team, led by sophomore outfielder Taylor Newton, who batted 1.000, going 5-for-5 in the doubleheader with a home run, four RBIs, two runs and two extra-base hits for an astounding 2.200 slugging percentage. Sophomore outfielder Tahli Moore hit .500 (3-for-6) while sophomore infielder Niki Prince batted .400 with a pair of runs. Junior catcher Erica Field also led the team with two home runs, both of which came in game two.

The Dukes close the Colonial Athletic Association slate this weekend with a three-game series at home versus Drexel. Friday's doubleheader will begin at 3 p.m. while Saturday's Senior Day is set for a 2 p.m. start.

Game 1: #19/20 JMU 4, Virginia Tech 3
James Madison used two runs in both the second and third innings and staved off a late Virginia Tech rally to win game one of the doubleheader, 4-3, on Wednesday evening.

Newton went 2-for-2 with a RBI and a walk while Moore hit 2-for-3 as the Dukes compiled nine hits, while holding the Hokies to just five.

Freshman pitcher Megan Good earned the victory in the circle after allowing three runs and five hits, while striking out five in 6.2 innings pitched. She improved to 25-0 on the season, breaking JMU's single-season wins record, surpassing junior teammate and career wins leader Jailyn Ford, who won 24 games in each of the last two seasons.

JMU opened the scoring with a two-run second inning. With runners in scoring position, freshman designated player Alyssa Buddle lined a double through the left side, scoring Ford from third. Pinch running for Buddle, sophomore infielder Madyson Moran crossed the plate after freshman infielder Morgan Tolle hit a two-out double down the left field line, to make it 2-0.

In the third, and with Prince standing on second, Good hit a RBI single to left center to extend the lead to 3-0, and two batters later, Newton smacked a single through the left side to score sophomore utility Mimi Morris for a 4-0 advantage.

The Hokies evaded more damage by getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth but would strike late in the game and down to their last out.

In the seventh, with a runner on and two outs, Jessie Mehr hit a two-run home run deep to left center to trim JMU's lead in half to 4-2. On the ensuing at-bat, Caroline Schoenewald homered to nearly the same spot to bring Tech to within 4-3. After a pitching change, which brought Ford to the circle, she struck out Mikaela Aiken for the final out.

Maggie Tyler took the loss for VT, conceding four runs and six hits in only 2.1 innings of work. While Mehr and Schoenewald both hit homers, no Hokie player recorded two hits in the game.

Game 2: #19/20 JMU 10, Virginia Tech 3
James Madison used a six-run first and hit three home runs as a team to cap off the doubleheader with a 10-3 triumph over Virginia Tech on Wednesday night.

Field was 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs while Newton was a perfect 3-for-3 with a homer, three RBIs and two runs. Senior pitcher Heather Kiefer provided a boost in her relief role as she picked up the winning decision (3-2) after allowing just five hits with a pair of strikeouts over the final 4.2 innings.

The Dukes stormed out of the gates, as every batter stepped into the box at least once in the first. Field belted her first homer of the game, a two-run shot, well over the left center wall to give JMU a 2-0 lead. Newton followed suit as she hit a two-run homer out to left for a 4-0 advantage. After the pitching change, freshman designated player Jessica Mrozek scored on a RBI single by Moore and Tolle was plated on a Prince infield single.

Virginia Tech got one run back in the second on a solo homer by Mehr and added two more in the third. After Ford loaded the bases with only one away in the frame, Kiefer came in to pitch but the Hokies brought in a pair of runs on a bases-loaded walk and a single up the middle to make it 6-3.

The Dukes extended their lead back to six runs with a three-run fifth inning. After Ford led off the inning with a walk, pinch runner Morris came around to score on a Newton double to left center. Junior outfielder Hannah Hayes singled down the right field line to score Newton, and she later came in to make it 9-3 on a run-down situation between first and second base.

The Dukes rounded out the scoring in the sixth when Field lifted her second homer of the night to left center, giving the hosts a 10-3 lead, and Kiefer shut the door by retiring the Hokies in order in the seventh.

Kelly Heinz (12-5) was credited with the defeat after only going a third of an inning, surrendering four runs on two home runs and three hits. Tech's bullpen gave up six more runs (five earned) and seven hits over the next 5.2 innings. Three Hokies had multi-hit games in Mehr (2-for-3), Kylie McGoldrick (2-for-4) and Bailey Liddle (2-for-3).