Dukes Win Ten-Inning Thriller Over Flames

Friday, May 21

Knoxville, Tenn.

12 P.M.

James Madison University

35-1

Liberty

42-14

James Madison

Liberty

5/21/2021 6:08:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

KNOXVILLE, TN -- Odicci Alexander showed her dominance in the circle striking out a program-record 19 batters to help #22 James Madison defeat #25 Liberty, 4-3, in 10 innings in the opening game of the Knoxville Regional, at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

JMU extended its winning streak to 25 games, improving to 35-1, while Liberty fell to 42-14.

Sara Jubas led the Dukes at the plate going 2-for-5 with one triple and one double while scoring one run and driving in 2 runners. Michelle Sullivan went 1-for-3 at the plate with a double while scoring once and drawing one walk.

How It Happened

It was a battle of the pitchers until JMU's bats came alive in the top of the fourth. Jubas recorded JMU's first hit of the game as she fired off a triple down the right field line. Alexander drew a walk that turned to a wild pitch that gave Jubas the opportunity to cross home plate. Kylie Thress entered the game as a pinch runner for Alexander and was quickly brought home by a triple off the bat of Madison Naujokas, increasing JMU's lead to 2-0.

Liberty answered back with a double down the left field line to score two runs of their own to tie the game up at 2-2.

The team's remained scoreless through the end of regulation and prepared for extra innings. Alexander sat down three batters in the bottom of the eighth to put her at 16 strikeouts. The two pitchers battled to keep runners off the bases, but Sullivan got the momentum started for the Dukes in the top of the tenth.

Sullivan launched a double to center field to light the fire for JMU. Kate Gordon reached first on an fielding error and Sullivan moved to third. With the winning run 60 feet from the plate Jubas hit a double down the left field line that brought in Sullivan and Gordon.

Alexander went to work in the bottom of the tenth only allowing one run to be scored off a home run from the bat of Amber Bishop-Riley and struck out two batters. She improved to a record of 13-0 in the circle and finished with 19 strikeouts in 10 innings to set a program record that was previously set by Megan Good ('19) during JMU's 6-0 nine inning win over Towson (3/31/19).

Up Next

#22 JMU will face the winner of #9 Tennessee vs. Eastern Kentucky at noon on Saturday, May 22, at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN 3.