James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
Friday, May 3
Harrisonburg, Va.
5 p.m.
James Madison University
26-19, 7-9
5
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Towson
12-32, 6-10
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Towson
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James Madison
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Kelly, Robertson Have Career Days as Dukes Cruise on Friday
5/3/2019 11:54:00 PM | Baseball
HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison baseball improved to (26-19, 7-9 CAA) with a 5-2 victory over the Towson Tigers (12-32, 6-10 CAA) Friday evening. Kevin Kelly and Nick Robertson combined for 20 strikeouts on night, tying the school record for most K's in a game set earlier this season against Norfolk State. Robertson improved to 3-1 on the season, relieving Kelly in the seventh with the game tied at two.
The Tigers opened up the scoring in the first inning when Zach Piazza homered down the line in left to take a 1-0 lead. Towson extended their lead in the third when Tom Flacco scored from third on a wild pitch. Kevin Kelly would find his rhythm and would go 6.0 innings, allowing two runs, on four hits and striking out a career-high 13 batters.
In the bottom half of the sixth the Dukes got on the scoreboard when Brady Harju punched a sacrifice fly out to center field to score DaVonn Griffin. Trevon Dabney would later score in the inning off of a balk to tie the ballgame, before weather suspended play for nearly two and a half hours. Nick Robertson took the mound to resume play at 9:35 p.m.
The Dukes would take their first lead of the night, after the Tigers intentionally walked Michael Morgan to load the bases. Callaway Sigler would draw a walk and Dallas Jackson would score. Later in the eighth Conor Hartigan would pinch hit, lacing a single down the line in left to extend the JMU lead to 5-2. Robertson would finish the game off pitching 3.0 innings, allowing no runs, on no hits and struck out a career-high seven batters.
GAME FACTS
- Kevin Kelly posted a career day with 13 strikeouts in his no decision start.
- Nick Robertson also posted a career-high seven strikeouts in his three innings pitched to improve to 3-1 on the season.
- With the win tonight, head coach Marlin Ikenberry collected his 100thwin at JMU.
- Play was suspended for two and a half hours due to rain and lightning in the area.
- The 26 JMU wins ties the season total from a year ago.
- The 20 strikeouts that Kelly and Robertson posted, ties the JMU record for a nine-inning game. It marks the second time the Dukes have posted 20 strikeouts this season.
- The Dukes jumped to fourth in the league standings thanks to the 5-3 victory on Friday night.
SCORING SUMMARY
Top 1st | JMU 0 – TOWSON 1 | Zach Piazza homered down the line in left to give the Tigers an early 1-0 lead.
Top 3rd | JMU 0 – TOWSON 2 | Towson added to their lead in the third, when Tom Flacco scored on a wild pitch.
Bottom 6th | JMU 2 – TOWSON 2 | In the sixth the Dukes finally got on the scoreboard when Brady Harju flied out to center field to score DaVonn Griffin. Trevon Dabney would later score on a balk to tie the ballgame.
Bottom 8th | JMU 5 – TOWSON 2 | After a two and a half hour weather delay, the game resumed and in the bottom of the eighth JMU took their first lead. Callaway Sigler drew a bases loaded walk to give the Dukes the lead. Conor Hartigan would cash in on a pinch hit single to extend the Dukes lead in the eighth.
WHAT COACH IKE HAD TO SAY
"Tonight was a battle for both teams and I was really excited to see our guys mental toughness on display. We started slow at the plate and Kevin was rolling on the mound. Once we tied the game in the sixth we were forced to head into a weather delay and I thought our guys came out of the nearly three-hour delay with a lot of energy and were hungry to play."
UP NEXT
The Dukes will host Towson for game two of the three game set, tomorrow from Veterans Memorial Park. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
The Tigers opened up the scoring in the first inning when Zach Piazza homered down the line in left to take a 1-0 lead. Towson extended their lead in the third when Tom Flacco scored from third on a wild pitch. Kevin Kelly would find his rhythm and would go 6.0 innings, allowing two runs, on four hits and striking out a career-high 13 batters.
In the bottom half of the sixth the Dukes got on the scoreboard when Brady Harju punched a sacrifice fly out to center field to score DaVonn Griffin. Trevon Dabney would later score in the inning off of a balk to tie the ballgame, before weather suspended play for nearly two and a half hours. Nick Robertson took the mound to resume play at 9:35 p.m.
The Dukes would take their first lead of the night, after the Tigers intentionally walked Michael Morgan to load the bases. Callaway Sigler would draw a walk and Dallas Jackson would score. Later in the eighth Conor Hartigan would pinch hit, lacing a single down the line in left to extend the JMU lead to 5-2. Robertson would finish the game off pitching 3.0 innings, allowing no runs, on no hits and struck out a career-high seven batters.
GAME FACTS
- Kevin Kelly posted a career day with 13 strikeouts in his no decision start.
- Nick Robertson also posted a career-high seven strikeouts in his three innings pitched to improve to 3-1 on the season.
- With the win tonight, head coach Marlin Ikenberry collected his 100thwin at JMU.
- Play was suspended for two and a half hours due to rain and lightning in the area.
- The 26 JMU wins ties the season total from a year ago.
- The 20 strikeouts that Kelly and Robertson posted, ties the JMU record for a nine-inning game. It marks the second time the Dukes have posted 20 strikeouts this season.
- The Dukes jumped to fourth in the league standings thanks to the 5-3 victory on Friday night.
SCORING SUMMARY
Top 1st | JMU 0 – TOWSON 1 | Zach Piazza homered down the line in left to give the Tigers an early 1-0 lead.
Top 3rd | JMU 0 – TOWSON 2 | Towson added to their lead in the third, when Tom Flacco scored on a wild pitch.
Bottom 6th | JMU 2 – TOWSON 2 | In the sixth the Dukes finally got on the scoreboard when Brady Harju flied out to center field to score DaVonn Griffin. Trevon Dabney would later score on a balk to tie the ballgame.
Bottom 8th | JMU 5 – TOWSON 2 | After a two and a half hour weather delay, the game resumed and in the bottom of the eighth JMU took their first lead. Callaway Sigler drew a bases loaded walk to give the Dukes the lead. Conor Hartigan would cash in on a pinch hit single to extend the Dukes lead in the eighth.
WHAT COACH IKE HAD TO SAY
"Tonight was a battle for both teams and I was really excited to see our guys mental toughness on display. We started slow at the plate and Kevin was rolling on the mound. Once we tied the game in the sixth we were forced to head into a weather delay and I thought our guys came out of the nearly three-hour delay with a lot of energy and were hungry to play."
UP NEXT
The Dukes will host Towson for game two of the three game set, tomorrow from Veterans Memorial Park. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Robertson, Nick (3-1)
L: Jake Pecilunas (2-1)
Batting:
2B: Brad Powers 1
HR: Zach Piazza 1
RBI: Zach Piazza 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Zach Piazza 1 ; Tom Flacco 1
CS: Javon Fields 1
HBP: Dirk Masters 1
Batting:
2B: Dabney, Trevon 1 ; Griffin, DaVonn 1
RBI: Harju, Brady 1 ; Sigler, Callaway 1 ; Hartigan, Conor 2
SH: Semones, Fox 1 ; Dipasupil, Matt 1 ; Reifsnider, Travis 1
SF: Harju, Brady 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dabney, Trevon 1 ; Jackson, Dallas 1 ; Harju, Brady 1 ; Morgan, Michael 1 ; Griffin, DaVonn 1
CS: Dipasupil, Matt 1
HBP: Dabney, Trevon 1
PO: Novak, Kyle 1 ; Cepullio, Dom 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
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0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
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