#14 Dukes Top Saint Joseph’s 8-0 For Fourth Consecutive Shutout

Sunday, February 19

Clearwater, Fla.

11:45 a.m.

James Madison University

8-1

Saint Joseph's

0-5

James Madison

Saint Joseph's

#14 Dukes Top Saint Joseph’s 8-0 For Fourth Consecutive Shutout

2/19/2017 3:35:00 PM | Softball

Box Score @JMU_Softball Box Score 2017 Schedule 2017 Statistics

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Behind another stellar performance by junior Megan Good, No. 14/16 James Madison softball notched its fourth consecutive shutout victory topping Saint Joseph's 8-0 at the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex Sunday to close the Michele Smith Pediatric Cancer Invitational.

The Dukes ended the weekend with an undefeated 5-0 mark to improve to 8-1 on the season.

Good and redshirt sophomore Jessica McCabe combined for Sunday's shutout victory, the sixth in nine games to start the year. Good (5-0) pitched 6.0 innings allowing just two hits and no walks. The junior tied her season-high with 13 strikeouts. McCabe closed the game allowing just one hit in her third appearance of the season.

Senior Taylor Newton led the Dukes at the plate going 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a sacrifice fly. Freshman Cambry Arnold capped the weekend with a 3-for-4 day at the plate with one run scored.

The Dukes and Hawks (0-5) traded three scoreless innings before James Madison broke through in the top of the fourth. After Good reached on a fielder's choice, Newton slugged her second triple of the season to put the Dukes up 1-0. Freshman Madison Naujokas pushed JMU's lead to 2-0 with a sacrifice fly to center field.

Freshman Odicci Alexander led off the top of the fifth reaching on a fielder's choice before junior Morgan Tolle notched an RBI single to push JMU's lead to 3-0. Arnold's single and Good's walk loaded the bases for Newton as the senior picked up her second RBI with a sacrifice fly to right. Senior Niki Prince drove in the third run of the inning with a single through the left side to give the Dukes a 5-0 advantage.

The Dukes added three runs in the top of the seventh as Prince and senior Madyson Moran reached on a fielder's choice and a SJU error, respectively. Senior Tahli Moore and freshman Kate Gordon each tallied RBI singles before Moore came around to score on a throw to second on Gordon's steal attempt.

QUOTING COACH DEAN
"I was pleased with our focus this weekend. We just have a real good focus with our at bats. Even though we didn't score early, we had some really hard shots. We stayed with it. We got Jessica [McCabe] in at the end and let her pitch. She did a nice job. We did a really good job this weekend communicating. It was the best I've seen us do in a long time."

DOMINATING THE CIRCLE
Highlighting James Madison's 5-0 weekend was four consecutive shutouts by the JMU pitching staff. It was the first time the Dukes have recorded such a streak since March 26 – April 2, 2016 when JMU shutout UNCW, Virginia and Towson over four games. Over the current streak, JMU pitchers have allowed just 12 hits and two walks while striking out 37 batters. Opponents are averaging just .135 at the plate during the span.

UP NEXT
Facing another challenging weekend, the Dukes will trek to Auburn, Ala. For the Tiger Invitational. The Dukes open the three-day tournament on Friday, Feb. 24 against UMass Lowell at 11:30 a.m. before facing Yale at 2 p.m. JMU will face North Dakota before two contests against No. 2 Auburn to cap the weekend.