No. 13 Dukes Shut Out Pitt, No Hit ECU in Friday Sweep

Friday, March 10

Greenville, N.C.

11 a.m.

James Madison University

18-3

(RV) Pitt

14-6

Pitt

James Madison

3/10/2017 5:11:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 @JMU_Softball Pitt Box Score ECU Box Score 2017 Schedule 2017 Statistics

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Behind two outstanding performances in the pitching circle, No. 13/14 James Madison (19-3) softball shut out (RV) Pittsburgh 2-0 before no-hitting East Carolina 12-1 in six innings during a Friday sweep inside the ECU Softball Stadium.

Junior Megan Good opened the day with her ninth shutout of the season in a 2-0 victory over Pitt (14-6). The right-hander allowed two hits and one walk while striking out 12, one off her season high, to improve to 13-0 on the year. Good kept her scoreless inning streak intact as it now stands at 64.2 consecutive innings. Good led the Dukes at the plate going 3-for-6 with a walk, double, five RBIs and three runs scored over Friday's games.

Freshman Odicci Alexander earned the start against East Carolina (13-10). The right-hander only faced one batter, issuing a walk, and was charged the lone run in the contest. Redshirt sophomore Jessica McCabe entered the game in relief and recorded all 18 outs over six innings. McCabe allowed one walk while striking out two. The right-hander did not allow a single hit in the contest to combine with Alexander for the no-hitter, the second no-hitter of the season for the JMU pitching staff.

Senior left fielder Taylor Newton turned in a strong performance at the plate as she went 3-for-7 with two RBIs and one run over both games.

It was a pitching duel in Friday's opening contest against Pitt as the Panthers and Dukes traded three scoreless innings before JMU was able to break through. With two outs, Good drew a walk before coming around to score on Newton's double. Alexander singled through the right side to score Newton and give the Dukes a 2-0 lead.

Pittsburgh had the leadoff runner on third base with no outs twice in the contest, but was unable to bring a run across as Good kept her scoreless inning streak alive.

East Carolina struck first in Friday's second contest as the Pirates manufacture a run in the first inning after Alexander's leadoff walk. A sacrifice bunt, wild pitch and sacrifice fly brought home the run without a single Pirate hit.

The Dukes stormed back in the top of third. Freshman second baseman Madison Naujokas singled to short before junior first baseman Morgan Tolle singled up the middle with one out. Freshman Cambry Arnold reached on a fielder's choice while a Pirate error on the play allowed Naujokas to score to lock the game at 1-1. Good cleared the bases with a single through the right side to give JMU a 3-1 lead.

JMU added to its lead in the top of the fourth as senior third baseman Madyson Moran led off with an infield single to third base. After stealing second, Moran advanced to third on a wild pitch on ball four during freshman Kate Gordon's at bat.

Tolle picked up an RBI on a fielder's choice to second base to bring home Moran to give JMU a 4-1 lead. After Arnold knocked a bunt single, Good cleared the bases once more with a single through the right side to push the lead to 6-1. Good scored on Newton's RBI single to right field, giving JMU a 7-1 lead.

The Dukes brought the hammer down in the top of the sixth as Tolle and Arnold led off with back-to-back singles before Good doubled to pick up her fourth and fifth RBIs of the contest. McCabe singled down the right field line to score Good and extended the lead to 10-1.

After pinch hitter Ashley Samuels beat out a two-out infield single to short, sophomore Paige Mitchell drove home a run with her first double of the season. Samuels came home on a wild pitch to score the final run of the game.

QUOTING COACH DEAN
"I thought over the first game we eventually established ourselves at the plate. We made some great defense plays. Pitt surprised us with that triple with the wind blowing, but I thought Megan [Good] did a great job. Twice today, she had a runner on third base with no outs and got out of the inning. She did a tremendous job there. McCabe did a great job coming in during the second game. She went right at them. She attacked hitters and forced them to play catch up. It was a great job by her."

THE STREAK LIVES
Megan Good allowed the leadoff runner to reach third with no outs twice in her start against Pittsburgh, but the right-hander kept the Panthers off the board for her 10th consecutive shutout appearance. Good has not allowed a run in 64.2 consecutive innings. Leading the country in shutouts (9) and wins (13), she now holds a 0.17 ERA in 84.0 innings pitched over her junior season.

POSTGAME WITH JESSICA MCCABE

We checked in with @Jess_mccabe6 after picking up her first career W! In relief, McCabe was responsible for all 18 outs and allowed 0 hits???? pic.twitter.com/NbeeP2DDTf
— JMU Softball (@JMU_Softball) March 10, 2017

FIRST CAREER VICTORY FOR MCCABE
Spending the majority of her young career in a relief position, Jessica McCabe earned her first career victory in the circle after a no-hit performance against East Carolina. Before today's contest, McCabe had tossed 25.1 innings and had not received a decision in the circle. The redshirt sophomore holds a 1.56 career ERA in the circle.

WELCOME TO THE CLUB
Senior Madyson Moran etched her name onto the JMU record book as she became the 31st Duke in program history to record 100 career hits as Moran hit the mark during today's contest against East Carolina. Moran joins Taylor Newton, Niki Prince, Megan Good and Morgan Tolle to make five active Dukes on the list.

TWEET OF THE GAME

When's the last time Megan Good has given up a run? ?? #GoDukes pic.twitter.com/VGxbkuQ6yy
— JMU Softball (@JMU_Softball) March 10, 2017

TWO NO-NOS FOR JMU
Today's no-hitter was the second of the season for the Dukes as Megan Good tossed a no-no against (RV) South Alabama on March 3 during the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic in Orlando, Fla. The last time the Dukes had two or more no-hitters in the same season was in 2015 as Megan Good, then a freshman, dealt two and Jailyn Ford tossed one for a program record of three in a single season. Alexander and McCabe's combined performance was the eighth no-hitter in program history and the first combined no-hitter for the Dukes in school history.

RECORD WATCH
Taylor Newton is closing in on JMU's career RBI record as she brought her total to 147 as driving home two in Friday's contests. Newton ranks third behind Erica Field (154) and Jailyn Ford (155). Newton also ranks eighth in career hits with 179. With 74 wins in the circle, Megan Good is now just eight from tying Ford's program record of 82. Good has moved into second with 25 career shutouts and is chasing down Ford who holds the program record of 31.

UP NEXT
The Dukes closed out the relocated JMU Invitational on Saturday, March 11 with a doubleheader against Pitt and East Carolina. JMU faces the Panthers at 10 a.m. before taking on the host Pirates at 12:30 p.m.