Hot Start Not Enough as Dukes Fall, 7-6

Saturday, May 20

Boston, Mass.

1 p.m.

James Madison University

24-27, 7-17

Northeastern

28-23, 16-7

James Madison

Northeastern

5/20/2017 4:51:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score @JMUBaseball

BROOKLINE, Mass. – A hot start was not enough as James Madison lost 7-6 to Northeastern in the final baseball game of the 2017 season.

The Dukes end the season at 24-27 overall and 7-17 in Colonial Athletic Association play. The Huskies improved to 28-23 on the year and 16-7 in the CAA.

Junior shortstop Kyle McPherson started the day with a bang, hitting the first pitch of the game off the scoreboard for a home run. After freshman centerfielder Fox Semones reached base on a fielding error, junior right fielder Adam Sisk crushed a two-run blast into the bullpen in left field to put the Dukes up 3-0.

HIGHLIGHT | Kyle McPherson sends the first pitch of the game for a ride and puts the Dukes up 1-0! pic.twitter.com/VbWDattBcr
— JMU Baseball (@JMUBaseball) May 20, 2017

HIGHLIGHT | Adam Sisk hits one that leaves the park in a hurry to put JMU up 3-0! pic.twitter.com/j40DTjPoLJ
— JMU Baseball (@JMUBaseball) May 20, 2017

McPherson extended the lead to 4-0 in the second with a sacrifice fly to center that scored redshirt junior second baseman Josh Wyatt, who had led off the inning with a walk.

After the Huskies used two home runs and an RBI single to storm back to tie the game at 4-4, JMU took a 6-4 lead in the sixth. Redshirt senior first baseman Brett Johnson singled in front of senior left fielder Ky Parrott, who doubled down the left field line. Wyatt knocked a sacrifice fly to right to score Johnson, then junior catcher Ryan Coale hit a single through the right side to score Parrott.

Northeastern tied the game in the seventh with an RBI fielder's choice and an RBI single, then took the lead in the eighth with a Cam Hanley sacrifice fly.

EVANS IN THE RECORD BOOK
With two thirds of an inning of work, senior left-handed pitcher Michael Evans made his 91st career pitching appearance, the second-most in JMU history. Jacob Cook (2004-07) holds the record with 92 appearances. Evans is also tied for the third-most saves (13) in Dukes history.

QUOTING COACH IKENBERRY
"I was proud of how we came out swinging and scored four runs early in the game. They're a good club and came back to make it interesting late. It's unfortunate the way we played this weekend that we didn't get a win, because I thought we played pretty good baseball. We brought out the same relievers each game and it caught up to us today. I was proud of the seniors, they've done an unbelievable job getting the two winningest seasons of their career, now we just have to build on it."