McPherson, Harlow Lead JMU Past Towson 7-4

Saturday, May 6

Harrisonburg, Va.

5 p.m.

James Madison University

20-22, 4-13

Towson

17-28, 5-12

Towson

James Madison

5/6/2017 8:33:00 PM | Baseball

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HARRISONBURG, Va. – Shortstop Kyle McPherson homered twice while starter Colton Harlow was solid on the mound as James Madison defeated Towson 7-4 in a Colonial Athletic Association baseball contest on Saturday afternoon at Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park.

JMU won for the second time in three games to improve to 20-22 overall and 4-13 in the CAA while Towson fell to 17-28, 5-12 in the league.

McPherson homered as the leadoff batter for the second straight game and then added a two-run shot in the sixth to stake the Dukes to a 7-3 advantage. He finished the day 3-for-5 with four RBIs and three runs scored.

Harlow worked around some trouble in the early frames before settling in to allow the Dukes to push ahead in the middle innings. He improved to 2-2 after allowing three runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. Kevin Kelly worked 2 1/3 scoreless innings out of bullpen.

Five Dukes combined for JMU's 12 hits with each recording multiple hits. Third baseman Bradley McKay was 3-for-4. Left fielder Fox Semones, first baseman Brett Johnson and second baseman Josh Wyatt each had two hits. Johnson had two doubles and also had a probable home run caught with a leaping grab at the wall by Towson's Cuinn Mullins.

Center fielder Mark Grunberg was 3-for-5 with two runs scored for the Tigers, who also had 12 hits. Michael Adams (2-6) suffered the loss after allowing all seven runs on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings.

QUOTING COACH MARLIN IKENBERRY
"I thought Colton Harlow did an outstanding job getting us in the ballgame. He maintained his composure and made great pitches when he needed to. In the sixth, there was discussion about taking him out or leaving him in. It was the third time through the lineup and we just liked the matchup better with Kevin Kelly, who came in and did a great job plus with Michael Evans shutting the door. Kyle McPherson was electric for us offensively. He really got us going and then with the big home run in the sixth that put us up by four, which was awesome."

HOT HITTER
McPherson's three-hit day extended his JMU season-best hitting streak to 14 games, including multiple hits in each of the last five games. He's batting .375 during the overall streak, including 12-for-25 (.480) in the last five games with 10 RBIs and seven runs scored. He has hit four of his seven season home runs in the last three games.

ON DECK
JMU and Towson will close the series on Sunday afternoon with a 2 p.m. first pitch at Eagle Field.