Middle-Innings Burst Leads JMU to 14-6 Win over Buffalo

Saturday, March 4

Harrisonburg, Va.

2 p.m.

James Madison University

7-2

Buffalo

4-4

Buffalo

James Madison

3/4/2017 6:40:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score @JMUBaseball JMU Baseball on Facebook Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Junior outfielder Adam Sisk recorded four hits, and James Madison baseball used a 10-run spurt in the fifth and sixth innings to earn a 14-6 victory against Buffalo on Saturday afternoon inside Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park.

The Dukes evened the three-game series, improving to 7-2 this season, while the Bulls fell to 4-4.

Sisk matched his career high with four hits, going 4-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and a career-high four runs scored. He reached base safely five times, adding in a walk. Sisk extended his hit streak to four games, one off his career high.

Junior infielder Bradley McKay also had a multi-hit day, going 2-for-4 with one RBI, one run and a walk. Redshirt junior catcher Zach Tondi led all players with three RBI and junior infielder Kyle McPherson scored a game-best three runs. Though the Dukes were out-hit 12-10, they tallied 11 walks and two hit by pitches to set up a plethora of scoring chances.

Freshman relief pitcher Kevin Kelly earned his first career victory, tossing 1.1 innings with a pair of strikeouts between the fifth and sixth innings. Junior Tucker McCoy closed out of the game, allowing just one hit, to go with his three strikeouts in 2.1 innings of work. Junior Colton Harlow, who started for the Dukes, allowed four runs and eight hits while striking out four in 4.2 innings.

JMU opened the scoring just two batters in, as Sisk hit his fourth home run of the season, a two-run shot over the right-field fence, to give the Dukes the early 2-0 lead. After Buffalo got a run back in the third, JMU answered with two more in the bottom half for a 4-1 advantage.

In the fifth, the Bulls plated three runs to tie the game at 4-4, but JMU answered again with a pair of runs off a deep groundout and a throwing error on a stolen base attempt to make it 6-4. The Dukes pulled away in the following inning, as they tallied 14 at-bats, scoring eight runs on just four hits to claim a 14-4 lead. UB tacked on two in the seventh before McCoy came in and finished the ballgame.

QUOTING COACH IKENBERRY
"This group is pretty tenacious after they lose a game" Head Coach Marlin Ikenberry said. "Last night we got beat in every facet and that is going to happen in baseball when you play a good team. Our guys came out with a plan today and stuck to it. When Buffalo tied it in the fifth, it was important for us to score in the bottom half to regain the lead. Then we were able to pretty much put the game away with a big inning in the sixth. We manufactured runs when we needed to."

SISK'S BIG DAY AT THE PLATE
Adam Sisk started the day with a bang, ripping a two-run homer to right in the top of the first. He followed that up with back-to-back-to-back singles between the third and sixth innings, allowing him to tie his career high of four hits. He was fortunate to bat twice in the sixth, as he walked in his second time up. Now with four home runs this season, he's tied for the team lead with Brett Johnson.

14 AT-BATS IN A CRAZY SIXTH
Leading 6-4 entering the bottom of the sixth, the Dukes capitalized on Buffalo miscues, plating eight runs, despite only recording four hits. JMU produced five walks and two batters were hit by a pitch, as the bases were loaded a total of five times in the frame. Five Dukes stepped up to bat twice in the high-scoring sixth.

MCCOY OWNING HIS ROLE
Tucker McCoy was solid down the stretch, conceding just one hit while striking out three in the final 2.1 innings of JMU's win over Buffalo. In his three appearances this season, McCoy has given up just one run and three hits in 5.2 innings of work. He's struck out five, three of which came in Saturday's win.

"I've been really impressed with Tucker McCoy this year, he's done an outstanding job out of the bullpen each time he's pitched," Ikenberry said. "That's his role to come in and get seven outs when we need it. That's going to be his role this year and he's owned his role."

UP NEXT
JMU and Buffalo will have a rubber match to close the three-game series on Sunday, March 5 at 1 p.m. Admission to Veterans Memorial Park is free for all spectators.