James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
Sunday, May 23
Knoxville, Tenn.
12 P.M.
James Madison University
37-1
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44-15
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Dukes Power Past Flames to Advance to Super Regionals
5/23/2021 7:07:00 PM | Softball
KNOXVILLE, TN -- #22 James Madison softball punched its ticket to the Columbia Super Regional after defeating #25 Liberty 8-5, highlighted by five runs in the fifth inning, in the Knoxville Regional Final at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Dukes finished the Knoxville Regional 3-0 and moved to a record of 37-1 while Liberty fell to 44-15. JMU extends its winning streak to 27 games and moves to 6-0 in the postseason.Â
Lynsey Meeks led the Dukes at the plate going 2-for-3 with one triple and a single, while scoring one run. Sara Jubas recorded two RBI and one run for JMU, while Logan Newton went 1-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored.
How It Happened
In the bottom of the first, Liberty took an early 2-0 lead with a two-run home run. The Dukes quickly went to work in the top of the second as Newton hit a single to left field and took advantage of a fielding error to advance to second. Madison Naujokas fired off her second triple of the season to center field to get Newton across home plate.
Odicci Alexander was dealing for the Dukes and threw her first strikeout of the day in the bottom of the second. Liberty tacked on another run in the bottom of the third to increase their lead to 3-1.
The teams went scoreless in the fourth, as Alissa Humphrey helped keep the Flames at bay with two strikeouts.
In the top of the fifth, Meeks fired off a base hit to start the five-run momentum for JMU. Kylie Thress entered the game as a pinch runner and was brought in by a single to left off the bat of Emily Phillips to cut the Flames lead to 3-2.
Michelle Sullivan battled at the plate and drew a walk to help keep the momentum going and was followed by Kate Gordon who fired off a base hit to load the bases for JMU. Jubas took the batter's box with three on, one out and shot a two RBI single to left center to give JMU its first lead of the game. Alexander followed with a RBI single through the right side to tact on another run for JMU, 5-3. Newton brought in the final run in the frame by hitting a sacrifice fly out to right field to make the score 6-3.
Liberty battled back with a double and a single to get a run across the plate and make it 6-4. Alexander returned to the circle and struck out the final batter of the inning to strand two runners on base.
Meeks hit a leadoff and first career triple to right field to get the fire started for JMU in the top of the sixth. Lauren Bernett helped bring her teammate home by launching her second career home run over the right field wall into the bleachers to give JMU the 8-4 lead.
Liberty scored one more run before Alexander struck out the final batter to send JMU to its third NCAA Super Regional.
Quick Hits
- Meeks was named Player of the Game by ESPN3
- Humphrey moved to a record of 14-0 in the circle, while striking out three batters.
- Alexander recorded her first save of the season while fanning six batters.
- Jubas extended her hitting streak to 15 games.
Up Next
James Madison will travel to Columbia, Mo. to face #8 Missouri in the Columbia Super Regional on May 27-30. It is the best of three games, and the winner will travel to Oklahoma City, Okla. for the 2021 Women's College World Series.
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The Dukes finished the Knoxville Regional 3-0 and moved to a record of 37-1 while Liberty fell to 44-15. JMU extends its winning streak to 27 games and moves to 6-0 in the postseason.Â
Lynsey Meeks led the Dukes at the plate going 2-for-3 with one triple and a single, while scoring one run. Sara Jubas recorded two RBI and one run for JMU, while Logan Newton went 1-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored.
How It Happened
In the bottom of the first, Liberty took an early 2-0 lead with a two-run home run. The Dukes quickly went to work in the top of the second as Newton hit a single to left field and took advantage of a fielding error to advance to second. Madison Naujokas fired off her second triple of the season to center field to get Newton across home plate.
Odicci Alexander was dealing for the Dukes and threw her first strikeout of the day in the bottom of the second. Liberty tacked on another run in the bottom of the third to increase their lead to 3-1.
The teams went scoreless in the fourth, as Alissa Humphrey helped keep the Flames at bay with two strikeouts.
In the top of the fifth, Meeks fired off a base hit to start the five-run momentum for JMU. Kylie Thress entered the game as a pinch runner and was brought in by a single to left off the bat of Emily Phillips to cut the Flames lead to 3-2.
Michelle Sullivan battled at the plate and drew a walk to help keep the momentum going and was followed by Kate Gordon who fired off a base hit to load the bases for JMU. Jubas took the batter's box with three on, one out and shot a two RBI single to left center to give JMU its first lead of the game. Alexander followed with a RBI single through the right side to tact on another run for JMU, 5-3. Newton brought in the final run in the frame by hitting a sacrifice fly out to right field to make the score 6-3.
Liberty battled back with a double and a single to get a run across the plate and make it 6-4. Alexander returned to the circle and struck out the final batter of the inning to strand two runners on base.
Meeks hit a leadoff and first career triple to right field to get the fire started for JMU in the top of the sixth. Lauren Bernett helped bring her teammate home by launching her second career home run over the right field wall into the bleachers to give JMU the 8-4 lead.
Liberty scored one more run before Alexander struck out the final batter to send JMU to its third NCAA Super Regional.
Quick Hits
- Meeks was named Player of the Game by ESPN3
- Humphrey moved to a record of 14-0 in the circle, while striking out three batters.
- Alexander recorded her first save of the season while fanning six batters.
- Jubas extended her hitting streak to 15 games.
Up Next
James Madison will travel to Columbia, Mo. to face #8 Missouri in the Columbia Super Regional on May 27-30. It is the best of three games, and the winner will travel to Oklahoma City, Okla. for the 2021 Women's College World Series.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Humphrey, Alissa (14-0)
L: JOHNSON, M. (3-3)
S: Alexander, Odicci (1)
Batting:
3B: Naujokas, Madison 1 ; Meeks, Lynsey 1
HR: Bernett, Lauren 1
RBI: Jubas, Sara 2 ; Alexander, Odicci 1 ; Newton, Logan 1 ; Naujokas, Madison 1 ; Phillips, Emily 1 ; Bernett, Lauren 2
SF: Newton, Logan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gordon, Kate 1 ; Jubas, Sara 1 ; Newton, Logan 1 ; Meeks, Lynsey 1 ; Thress, Kylie 1 ; Phillips, Emily 1 ; Bernett, Lauren 1 ; Sullivan, Michelle 1
Batting:
2B: BISHOP, Au. 1
HR: BISHOP, Am. 1 ; CANETTO, K. 1 ; GRIFFIN, D. 1
RBI: BISHOP, Am. 1 ; CANETTO, K. 2 ; GRIFFIN, D. 2
Base Running:
RUNS: BISHOP, Au. 1 ; BISHOP, Am. 1 ; CANETTO, K. 2 ; GRIFFIN, D. 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
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H
2
RBI
1
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3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
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AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
P/INF
/ Softball
C
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/ Softball
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INF
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C/INF
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INF
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