Bats Power JMU to Doubleheader Sweep Over ECU

Saturday, March 20

Harrisonburg, Va.

1 p.m.

James Madison University

7-0

ECU

9-11

ECU

James Madison

3/20/2021 9:24:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

Harrisonburg, Va. – James Madison softball (8-0) picked up a doubleheader sweep over ECU (9-12) on Saturday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Park. JMU won the first game 9-1 in six innings and won the second game 6-3.

JMU recorded five home runs on the day, four in the first game and a grand slam off the bat of Hannah Shifflett in the second game against the Pirates. Madison Naujokas recorded two homers in the first game, along with a three-run homer from Logan Newton, who went two-for-four on the day, and the walk off home run from Sara Jubas.

Alissa Humphrey picked up her fifth win in the circle and first career save after throwing 11 strikeouts. Alexis Bermudez captured her first win this season striking out three Pirates.

Game 1

JMU took off from the start of the game with a double through the right side from Kate Gordon. Newton got the Dukes on the board with a homer over the left field fence to bring in Gordon and Jubas for a three-run home run, 3-0.

In the bottom of the third, Newton sent a base hit through the right side to then capitalize on an ECU throwing error to score, 4-0 JMU leads. Lynsey Meeks reached on the fielder's choice to make her way to third on an error. She ran home on a wild pitch to tact on another run for the Dukes. Naujokas was up, and hit the second home run of the game for a solo homer.

ECU responded back with a solo home run to cut JMU's lead to 6-1. The Dukes pushed two more runs, with another solo homer from Naujokas and a score from Grace Lutz off a throwing error by ECU. JMU quickly got three batters out to get back to the batter's box in the sixth. Jubas lead off, and on the first pitch she launched the ball over the fence to give JMU a 9-1 lead and end the game.

Humphrey was crucial in the circle for JMU, striking out 10 batters and only walking three batters.

Game 2

In the bottom of the first, Naujokas got JMU on the board with a single up the middle to drive in Jubas on third. The teams went scoreless for the next two innings, when ECU broke the silence with a homer over the left field fence tying the game at 1-1.

Hallie Hall started the bottom of the fourth with a single through the left side. Michelle Sullivan reached on a fielder's choice, while Hall advanced to third on a throwing error by the Pirates. Emily Phillips drew a walk for the Dukes and the bases were loaded with no outs. Shifflett hit the first grand slam of the 2021 season to give JMU a 5-1 lead over ECU.

In the top of the sixth, ECU put up another home run to make it 2-5. Humphrey entered the circle for JMU to get out of a bases loaded situation and only allowed one more run in the frame. The Dukes scored another run off a hit from Meeks that drove in Shifflett on third, giving JMU a 6-3 lead.

Bermudez started her first game and picked up the win, throwing three strikeouts.

Up Next

JMU returns to Veterans Memorial Park on Sunday, March 21 at 1 p.m. for the final game of the series against ECU.