HARRISONBURG, Va. –
Kirsten Fleet threw her second complete game of her career with six strikeouts and only allowed four hits, and James Madison softball completed a three-game Sun Belt series sweep over Georgia State, 8-1, on Saturday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Park.
Fleet's complete game gave the true freshman her second win in as many days, as she scattered four hits and only walked one batter. JMU improved to 21-13 (5-4 Sun Belt) on eight runs and 12 hits and held Georgia State (9-23, 1-8) to one run on four hits. The Panthers also committed four errors, tied for their season high.
Redshirt freshman
Payton List finished 2-for-3 with two RBI, while
Lexi Rogers improved her season batting average to .375 with a 2-for-2 effort out of the DP spot.
KK Mathis picked up her 15th multi-hit game of the season, and
Reed Butler hit safely for the 14th consecutive game, going 1-for-3 with a walk.
How It Happened
- Jasmine Hall reached on an error and Mathis doubled to right, but a double play ended the JMU scoring threat in the bottom of the first.
- Two baserunners reached for Georgia State in the top of the second, but two swinging strikeouts retired the Panthers and kept the game scoreless into the bottom of the second.
- The Dukes scored three runs in the bottom of the second on four hits. Lily Romero notched an RBI single to make it 1-0, Abbie Campbell grounded out to third to score List, and J.Hall singled to center to grab the third run.
- Georgia State got on the board in the top of the third on a fielder's choice, cutting the JMU lead to 3-1.
- Hallie Hall singled to lead off the bottom of the fifth and scored on an RBI double from List, pushing the Dukes' advantage to 4-1.
- Carsen Sanders tallied a pinch-hit leadoff walk in the bottom of the sixth and scored on a single and error from Georgia State to extend the lead to 5-1.
- Rogers picked up an RBI double which extended the advantage to 7-1 in the bottom of the sixth, and a sacrifice fly off the bat of List capped off JMU's scoring.
- Fleet picked up her fifth and sixth strikeouts in the top of the seventh, retiring the Panthers in order and securing the series sweep.
Game Notes
- In three games this weekend, JMU's pitching staff walked only one batter in 21.0 innings.
- Butler hit safely for the 14th straight game and reached safely for the 28th consecutive contest.
- Madison Edwards picked up her 19th walk of the season, which leads the team.
- The leadoff batter for JMU reached safely in every inning (6-for-6).
- The Dukes hit .400 (10-for-25) with runners on and .333 (5-for-15) with runners in scoring position.
- Mathis hit her team-leading 12th double of the season, tied for second-best in the Sun Belt.
- Through 34 games, Butler's batting average of .405 ranks fifth in the Sun Belt.
- The sweep is JMU's first since a three-game sweep over App State (Apr. 28-29, 2023).
Up Next
The Dukes head to the Bayou to take on nationally-ranked Louisiana for a three-game series that will run from April 5-7. The first pitch for Friday's contest is set for 7 p.m. (ET) and will be streamed on ESPN+.