Record-Setting Season Comes to an End for JMU with 2-1 Loss to Fordham

Saturday, May 16

Harrisonburg, Va.

7:35 p.m.

James Madison University

48-10

Fordham

38-19

James Madison

Fordham

Record-Setting Season Comes to an End for JMU with 2-1 Loss to Fordham

5/17/2015 12:30:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Following a lengthy overnight delay spanning 13-and-a-half hours, 15th-seeded James Madison came up just short in its seventh-inning comeback attempt, falling 2-1 to Fordham in an elimination game at the NCAA Softball Championship Harrisonburg Regional on Sunday morning at Veterans Memorial Park.

The Dukes, hosting a NCAA regional for the first time in program history, ended the season with a 48-10 overall record, setting the single-season record for wins by a Colonial Athletic Association team. The Rams improved to 38-19 and advanced to play NC State for the regional crown.

Michele Daubman picked up the win for FU, moving her record to 12-9 after allowing one unearned run on six hits, to go with six strikeouts, in 6.1 innings of work. Patti Maloney came in to record her second save of the year, recording the final two outs in the seventh. Linday Mayer went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run, accounting for half of the team's hits.

Freshman pitcher/infielder Megan Good took the loss for JMU, as she fell to 29-3 after conceding two runs on four hits, to go with seven strikeouts in her six innings pitched. Good finished her rookie season by setting a pair of JMU single-season records for wins (29) and and ERA (1.05).

Junior pitcher/infielder Jailyn Ford led all players with a 3-for-3 performance, highlighted by her fourth-inning triple. Sophomore outfielder Tahli Moore also produced JMU's run with a RBI sacrifice fly in the seventh.

Fordham took the lead in the third, collecting a pair of hits with two outs in the frame. Following an infield single by Amy Van Hoven, Mayer hit her ninth home run of the year, a two-run shot over the right center wall, to give the Rams a 2-0 lead.

JMU threatened in the fourth, as Ford led off the frame with a triple to center. The Rams kept a run off the board, however, as they retired the next three batters on a pair of ground outs and a line out.

In the sixth, Ford came through again with a two-out single up the middle, to bring up sophomore outfielder Taylor Newton. After one pitch, a called strike, play was stopped due to rain at 8:55 p.m. Later in the evening, the NCAA suspended the game until Sunday morning, bringing on the overnight delay. Once play resumed Sunday morning, Newton hit a laser back at the pitcher but Daubman was able to corral the ball and just able to get the throw to first in time for the third out.

The Dukes didn't go quietly, as freshman designated player Alyssa Buddle hit a one-out single up the middle. Freshman infielder Morgan Tolle blistered a single through the right side and a fielding error in right allowed sophomore third baseman Madyson Moran, pinch running for Buddle, to advance to third.

Moore lifted a high fly ball to right for the second out, but was deep enough to score Moran from third to make it 2-1. The Rams closed out the game on the next at-bat, getting sophomore infielder Niki Prince to ground out to third.

Note:
The rain delay began at 8:55 p.m. and at 10:32 p.m., the NCAA ruled to suspend the game until Sunday. Play resumed Sunday morning at 10:27 a.m. after a 13-hour, 37 minute delay.