JMU Baseball Drops Series Opener at W&M

Friday, April 21

Williamsburg, Va.

4 p.m.

James Madison University

18-19, 3-10

William & Mary

20-20, 5-5

James Madison

William & Mary

4/21/2017 9:39:00 PM | Baseball

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WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – William and Mary struck for nine runs in its final three turns at bat and overcame James Madison for a 14-8 Colonial Athletic Association baseball victory on Friday night to open a three-game series at Plumeri Park.

JMU (18-19, 3-10 CAA) grabbed the lead at 8-5 with a six-run fifth inning thanks to six of its 10 hits in the game, but W&M (20-20, 5-5 CAA) plated five in the sixth, two in the seventh and two in the eighth to pull ahead for the win.

Robert White (4-1) earned the W&M win with two scoreless innings of relief. Matt Colon (1-1) suffered the loss in relief for the Dukes in the sixth inning.

Second baseman Josh Wyatt paced the JMU offense with a 3-for-5 night at the plate with two RBIs. Wyatt's five games with three hits or more ranks best for the Dukes. Right fielder Adam Sisk was 2-for-4 with a double, two runs, two RBIs and a walk. Left fielder Ky Parrott doubled, walked twice, scored twice and drove in a pair of runs.

William and Mary's 14-hit attack was led by three apiece from left fielder Brandon Raquet and Ryder Miconi. Hunter Smith homered as part of a 2-for-3 night.

QUOTING HEAD COACH MARLIN IKENBERRY
"I was proud of our approach against their Friday night top pitcher, [Nick] Raquet. We took a lead going into the fifth with a big inning, which we hadn't had in a while. Then it came down to our relievers not throwing strikes. William and Mary got back into the game and we couldn't stop them. It seems like of late when we hit we don't pitch, and when we pitch we don't hit. So we'll work to put it all together tomorrow."

FREE BASES
JMU pitchers allowed six walks and four hit batters for a total of 10 free bases surrendered. The free passes proved particularly critical in the five-run sixth, which started with two walks and a hit batter with all three coming around to score in the frame.

STREAKS EXTENDED
In only his second game of the season batting leadoff, Kyle McPherson extended his active hitting streak to nine games and his active streak of reaching base to 14 games. Both rank as the second-longest marks of the season for the Dukes and the longest active.

ON DECK
After falling below .500 for the first time in 2017, JMU will look to bounce right back as the series resumes on Saturday. With anticipated adverse weather conditions, games two and three of the series will be played as part of a doubleheader beginning at noon on Saturday.