James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
James Madison University
12-3
NJIT
2-12
Five Homers Power Dukes Past NJIT
3/17/2017 7:03:00 PM | Baseball
The Dukes took the first game in this weekend's four-game series, improving to 12-3 on the season, while the Highlanders fell to 2-12.
Redshirt junior catcher Zach Tondi led the way for the JMU offense with three RBIs on two home runs. Tondi's first homer came in the second inning when he sent a two-run blast over the right field wall. He homered again in the third when he sent a solo shot to right center to cap off a three-run inning and give the Dukes a 6-5 lead. Redshirt senior first baseman Brett Johnson had previously tied the game at 5-5 with a two-run homer, his team-leading seventh of the year.
Junior second baseman Kyle McPherson, who collected three hits, extended the JMU lead to 9-5 in the fourth inning with a two-run home run that flew over the left field fence and landed in the neighborhood behind Veterans Memorial Park. Redshirt sophomore third baseman Ryan Lynch hit a three-run homer, his first hit of the season, to finish a seven-run eighth inning and give JMU 20 runs for the second time this season.
PHOTO OF THE GAME
Kyle McPherson patrols the middle infield in JMU's 20-6 win over NJIT. See the full gallery here.
Junior outfielder Adam Sisk finished with a team high five RBIs on two hits. He started the scoring for JMU with an RBI groundout in the first, then hit a two-run double in the sixth and a two-run single in the eighth.
Redshirt senior pitcher Brandon Withers gave up four runs in the first three innings, but settled in to earn the win with three consecutive scoreless innings and five total strikeouts. He improved to 4-0 on the year. Sophomore Christian Bourne earned his first career save by throwing the last three innings of the game, allowing one unearned run on three hits. John Saviano (0-4) took the loss for NJIT.
RBI GUYS
The Dukes had five players collect at least three RBIs. Sisk led the way with five, while McPherson, Johnson, Lynch and Tondi all had three. JMU also had six players with multiple hits. Senior Ky Parrott and redshirt junior Josh Wyatt joined Sisk, Johnson and Tondi with two base knocks, while McPherson had three.
SLUG FEST
JMU entered Friday leading the NCAA with a team slugging percentage of .560. After nine extra-base hits, the Dukes improved their season mark to .587. The Dukes hit at least three home runs for the fifth time this year, and hit at least four for the second game in a row. JMU's five dingers were one shy of the season high (6), set in a 25-9 win over UNC Asheville on Feb. 25.
SCORING IN BUNCHES
The Dukes scored double-digit runs for the sixth time this season and the third game in a row. JMU is 6-0 in games where it scores at least 10 runs.
UP NEXT
JMU and NJIT will play a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 18. The first game will be a seven-inning contest, followed immediately by a nine-inning game.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Withers, Brandon (4-0)
L: SAVIANO, John (0-4)
S: Bourne, Christian (1)
Batting:
2B: UTTENDORFER, Jesse 1 ; ETTS, Justin 1 ; MALATESTA, Johnny 1 ; ANASTASIA, Michael 1
3B: UTTENDORFER, Jesse 1
RBI: ETTS, Justin 2 ; BURMAN, Alex 1 ; MALATESTA, Johnny 1 ; HABERSTROH, Bryan 1 ; ANASTASIA, Michael 1
Base Running:
RUNS: UTTENDORFER, Jesse 2 ; ETTS, Justin 1 ; PIETRONICO, Evan 1 ; COCCIADIFERRO, Matt 1 ; HABERSTROH, Bryan 1
SB: HABERSTROH, Bryan 1
CS: UTTENDORFER, Jesse 1
Batting:
2B: McPherson, Kyle 1 ; Sisk, Adam 1 ; McKay, Bradley 1
3B: Parrott, Ky 1
HR: McPherson, Kyle 1 ; Johnson, Brett 1 ; Lynch, Ryan 1 ; Tondi, Zach 2
RBI: Parrott, Ky 1 ; McPherson, Kyle 3 ; Sisk, Adam 5 ; Johnson, Brett 3 ; Lynch, Ryan 3 ; Tondi, Zach 3 ; Marchand, Garrett 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Parrott, Ky 3 ; Quimuyog, Logan 1 ; McPherson, Kyle 2 ; Dofflemyer, Tanner 1 ; Sisk, Adam 3 ; Johnson, Brett 1 ; Lynch, Ryan 1 ; Wyatt, Josh 1 ; Semones, Fox 1 ; Tondi, Zach 2 ; Hamner, Jack 1 ; McKay, Bradley 1 ; Sciorra, Mike 1 ; Griffin, DaVonn 1
SB: Sisk, Adam 1 ; Hamner, Jack 1 ; Sciorra, Mike 2
