Dukes Earn Program Win No. 1,500 Behind Five-Run Eighth Inning

Saturday, April 1

Harrisonburg, Va.

4 p.m.

James Madison University

16-10, 3-3

South Alabama

11-16, 2-6

South Alabama

James Madison

Trevon Dabney, Jack Cone, Fenwick Trimble

Dukes Earn Program Win No. 1,500 Behind Five-Run Eighth Inning

4/1/2023 7:46:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Heading into the eighth inning tied, James Madison pushed across five runs to topple South Alabama, 13-8, in Sun Belt Conference baseball to pick up win No. 1,500 in the program's history on Saturday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Park.

The Dukes improve to 16-10, 3-3 SBC while the Jaguars fall to 11-16, 2-6 SBC.

Junior Joe Vogatsky picked up his second win of the season behind two scoreless innings of relief, striking out three and only allowing two hits. Graduate Jaylon Lee (3-for-5, three RBI's) and freshman Mike Mancini (3-for-5, one run scored, five RBI's) led the way at the plate for JMU.

How It Happened
First Inning
Graduate Jack Cone singled to lead the inning off and was followed by a Fenwick Trimble hit by pitch. After a sacrifice bunt to move both runners over, Mancini hit his first single up the middle to give JMU an early 2-0 lead.

Second Inning
The Jaguars responded by going back-to-back with solo homers from Trey Lewis and Joseph Sullivan.

Third Inning
Three unearned runs allowed USA to take the lead, using a triple, a single and a double back-to-back-to-back to go up 5-2.

It did not take long for the Dukes to tie the game back up, as once again Mancini laced a single into center field with the bases loaded to score two. Lee followed Mancini by hitting into a fielder's choice but was able to score redshirt senior Trevon Dabney and make it 5-5.

Fifth Inning
A one-out solo jack from Will Turner gave South Alabama the lead back at 6-5.

Seventh Inning
USA extended its lead in the seventh, as Erick Orbeta led off the inning with a double. After a walk, Lewis would single in Orbeta and be followed by Sullivan who plated Turner on a fielder's choice for an 8-5 lead.

The Dukes once again tied the game up quickly, scoring three in the home half of the inning. With bases loaded, Dabney got the scoring started with a two-run double and was then followed by a run-scoring infield single by Lee who just barely beat the throw.

Eighth Inning
Heading into the eighth tied at eight, the Dukes broke the game open by putting two on for redshirt senior Kyle Novak to double down the right field line to score two for a 10-8 lead. After Dabney's second hit by pitch of the game, Mancini picked up his third single up the middle to score Novak. Lee followed with his own run-scoring single up the middle and then Mancini capped off the five-run inning by executing a double steal of home for a 13-8 lead.

Game Notes

Jack Cone, Fenwick Trimble and Kyle Novak all scored three runs. The three are a season high for Cone and Novak.
Eight of the nine starting Dukes registered a hit.
JMU is now 3-0 when tied after seven innings.
The Dukes had seven two-out RBI's and were .571 (8-for-14) with runners in scoring position.

Up Next
The Dukes and Jaguars meet in the series finale on Sunday, April 2 with an 11 a.m. start at Veterans Memorial Park.