Late Comeback Bid from Dukes Falls Short Against No. 21 Virginia

Wednesday, May 3

Charlottesville, Va.

6 p.m.

James Madison University

24-20

Virginia

37-11

James Madison

Virginia

Late Comeback Bid from Dukes Falls Short Against No. 21 Virginia

5/3/2023 9:50:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – James Madison baseball scored eight runs across the final three innings after trailing early, but the comeback bid fell a run short, 9-8, against No. 21 Virginia on Wednesday evening at Disharoon Park in non-conference action.

The Dukes dropped to 24-20 while the Cavaliers improved to 37-11.

Redshirt senior Kyle Novak led the way at the plate for JMU, going 3-for-5 with a double, a run scored and two RBI's.

Connelly Early improved to 9-1 for Virginia as he earned the win behind six scoreless innings with six strikeouts.

How It Happened
First Inning
The Cavaliers struck first with a pair of runs on a wild pitch and an infield single to take an early lead.

Second Inning
A four-run inning for the Hoos extended the lead to 6-0. After a groundout scored the first run of the inning, the hosts used three straight hits to knock in a run each time.

Fifth Inning
After a one-out double and a wild pitch put a runner on third for UVA, a triple from Casey Saucke scored a run before scoring himself on a wild pitch to make it 8-0.

Seventh Inning
The Dukes got on the board with three runs after redshirt senior Trevon Dabney led off by being hit by a pitch for the 67^th time of his career before scoring all the way from first on a double from Novak. Novak then scored to make it 8-2 after sophomore Jason Schiavone singled through the right side of the infield. Graduate Jack Cone knocked in the final run of the frame on a sacrifice fly.

Virginia responded with a run in the home half of the inning on a sacrifice fly to make it 9-3.

Eighth Inning
JMU got the run back in the next frame, using Novak's third hit of the game to score sophomore Fenwick Trimble and make it 9-4. Schiavone then made it a three-run game with his eighth long ball of the season to score Novak and change the score to 9-6.

Ninth Inning
Leading off the inning, freshman Wyatt Peifer was hit by a pitch. He then moved to third as Cone reached on an infield single and moved to second on a throwing error. Peifer then scored on a wild pitch before redshirt junior Mason Dunaway grounded out to score Cone and make it a one-run game at 9-8. Back-to-back walks put the tying and go ahead runs on base for the Dukes but back-to-back fly outs, including one to the left center field wall, ended the game.

Game Notes

The eight runs scored against Virginia are the most for the Dukes since scoring eight runs on April 24, 2013.

Up Next
The eight-game road trip for the Dukes concludes with a three-game set against Marshall in Charleston, W.Va. on May 5-7. Friday's opener is set for 6 p.m. and all three games will be streamed on ESPN+.