Late Game Rally Helps Dukes Thwart Off Colonials

Tuesday, March 28

Arlington, Va.

3 p.m.

James Madison University

15-9

George Washington

8-18

James Madison

George Washington

3/28/2023 7:12:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

ARLINGTON, Va. – The offense of James Madison scored seven runs across the seventh and eighth innings to give it enough cushion to thwart a ninth inning rally by George Washington to take the game, 8-7, in non-conference baseball on Tuesday afternoon at Barcroft Park.

The Dukes improve to 15-9 with their third straight win, while the Colonials fall to 8-18.

Freshman Ryan Ertlschweiger earned his second win of the season behind three innings of relief, striking out one and allowing just one run on three hits and three walks. Redshirt junior Hunter Entsminger earned his second save of the season after recording the final out of the game. Freshman Aidan McDonald led at the plate, notching his first career three-hit game behind a 3-for-5 effort with a triple, an RBI and two runs scored.

How It Happened
First Inning
George Washington took the first lead of the game, using a single from Anthony Frechette with two on to plate one.

Second Inning
After the first batters of the inning got out for the Colonials, back-to-back walks followed by a double and a single to score three runs and extend their lead to 4-0.

Fifth Inning
McDonald crossed home for the first JMU run by singling with one out, stealing second and then scoring on graduate Jack Cone's single to make it 4-1.

The lead was extended back to four runs by the hosts in the bottom half of the inning, as a Robby Wacker double scored one.

Seventh Inning
A pitching change was made to start the seventh before the first four batters reached base for the Dukes. McDonald connected on his second hit of the game to score leadoff hitter Jaylon Lee before he and classmate Wyatt Peifer scored the next at bat on a Jason Schiavone double. Redshirt senior Kyle Novak then tied the game at five with a single up the middle to score Schiavone.

Eighth Inning
Peifer led off the eighth with a single and moved to third on Schiavone's second double of the day. Cone followed Schiavone with his own double, giving the Dukes their first lead of the game and made it a 7-5 game. Cone then scored on an error in the field to make it now 8-5 in favor of JMU.

GWU took a run back in the home half of the inning on a single to score Steve Ditomaso who got on with a double.

Ninth Inning
The Colonials did not go down easy, scoring a run with two outs to make it 8-7. Eventually, they would put the tying run on third base and winning run on first, but Entsminger would force a fly out to end the game.

Game Notes

Ryan Ertlschweiger gave up his first run of the season, snapping a scoreless streak of 12.2 innings.
Jack Cone knocked in a season-high three runs.
JMU is now 8-5 when an opponent scores first in a game.

Up Next
The Dukes will return home on Friday, March 31 for the first of seven games at Veterans Memorial Park in the next nine overall. They will open the weekend series with South Alabama at 6 p.m.