Dukes Fall in Series Opener at Gardner-Webb

Friday, March 11

Boiling Springs, N.C.

4 p.m.

James Madison University

7-7

Gardner-Webb

15-1

James Madison

Gardner-Webb

3/11/2016 8:37:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - James Madison couldn't bounce back from a seven-run second inning on Friday evening, dropping an 8-2 decision at Gardner-Webb in the first game of a three-game non-conference series at John H. Moss Stadium.

Senior shortstop Chad Carroll went 2-for-4 with a stolen base to lead the Dukes, who fell to 7-7 in the loss, marking his team-best 10th multi-hit performance of the season. Brad Haymes went the distance on the mound for Gardner-Webb (15-1), notching the first complete game of his career and striking out 10 to improve to 3-0.

Four other Dukes tallied a hit on the day, highlighted by a triple from sophomore second baseman Kyle McPherson, his first of the year, and doubles from senior third baseman Kyle Weston and junior left fielder Ky Parrott. Weston and senior center fielder Tyler Carroll drove in the Dukes' only two runs.

The Runnin' Bulldogs put JMU in a hole early, using seven hits, including six in a row and three doubles, to plate seven runs in the bottom of the second. With nobody out in the top of the fifth, Weston doubled home junior catcher Zach Tondi and immediately scored on Tyler Carroll's sacrifice fly, but Gardner-Webb added a run in the bottom half of the inning to stem the Dukes' momentum.

Senior left-hander Aaron Hoover took the loss for the Dukes to fall to 2-2 on the year. After the second inning, Hoover yielded just three hits across his next four frames. Senior Patrick Toohers took the mound for the final two innings, striking out one without allowing a baserunner.

Danny Sullivan, Patrick Graham and Blair Huggins all had two hits apiece to pace the Gardner-Webb offense, while Collin Thacker drove in a pair of runs.

QUOTING COACH IKENBERRY
"I give Gardner-Webb a lot of credit in their approach against Aaron Hoover. They hit him well in the second inning, but he did a nice job to pitch through the sixth, which is difficult to do. Haymes kept our offense off balance all night and we just didn't get many good swings off of him."

STILL STREAKING
With his double in the top of the first, junior left fielder Ky Parrott did not waste any time extending his career-long hitting streak to 14 games, a stretch that encompasses the entire 2016 season to date. Senior shortstop Chad Carroll also broke into double-digits, picking up a hit in his 10th consecutive contest.

Despite not getting a hit, sophomore right fielder Adam Sisk drew two hit-by-pitches on the evening, pushing his reached-base streak to 16 games dating back to last season.

UP NEXT
In order to avoid expected inclement weather on Sunday, March 13, the Dukes have rearranged the schedule of their three-game series at Gardner-Webb. The two teams will conclude play with a double-header on Saturday, March 12, beginning at 1 p.m. Both contests will have live stats, hosted on GWUSports.com.