Big Day from O’Donnell Powers Dukes to Opening Win; Saturday’s Game Moved Up

Friday, May 10

Harrisonburg, Va.

6 p.m.

James Madison University

29-19, 14-11

Marshall

16-33, 8-17

Marshall

James Madison

Big Day from O’Donnell Powers Dukes to Opening Win; Saturday’s Game Moved Up

5/10/2024 10:17:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Graduate Brendan O'Donnell totaled 10 bases behind two triples and a home run to help power James Madison baseball past Marshall, 8-5, to open the series at Veterans Memorial Park on Friday night.

The Dukes improved to 29-19 overall and 14-11 in Sun Belt Conference play and have won four of their last five games. The Thundering Herd dropped to 16-33, 8-17 Sun Belt.

O'Donnell went 3-for-4 at the plate, scoring two runs and knocking in a pair as well. Junior Todd Mozoki improved to 4-1 this season behind two-plus innings, striking out one and allowing one run and hit. Sophomore Max Kuhle closed out the final two innings of the game to record his first career save.

How It Happened
First Inning
Marshall struck first, beginning the game with back-to-back singles before a sacrifice fly scored the game's first run.

The Dukes responded quickly, utilizing a sacrifice fly of their own off the bat of sophomore Wyatt Peifer. Junior Ryan Dooley scored after extending his reached base streak to 30 games on a leadoff walk and then moved to third on classmate Fenwick Trimble's double. The double for Trimble represented career hit No. 200.

Third Inning
Dooley and Trimble led off the third with singles and then executed a double steal of second and home to give JMU a 2-1 lead. Trimble scored on a caught stealing two batters later to make it 3-1.

Fourth Inning
O'Donnell struck for his first triple of the day and of the season with one down and touched home plate on a wild pitch for a 4-1 JMU lead.

Fifth Inning
The Herd evened the game at four with a three-run fifth, beginning the inning with three hits to score a run. An error on a failed pickoff attempt at first with runners on the corner allowed another run to score before the tying run was doubled in.

Sixth Inning
The 14^th homer of the season for O'Donnell came at no better time than the sixth inning to put the Dukes ahead for good with a 6-4 lead.

Eighth Inning
A solo homer from Gio Ferraro brought Marshall within one at 6-5.

Junior Coleman Calabrese became the fifth Duke to hit 10 home runs this season as he added two insurance runs on a two-run homer to the opposite field for an 8-5 lead. It is the first time in program history the Dukes have had more than three 10+ home run hitters in the same season.

Game Notes

The Dukes have now homered in eight consecutive games.
The 22 wins at home this season tie the Veterans Memorial Park record, tying the 2019 team for the most wins in a season at the venue since it opened in 2010.
This is the 13^th win for the Dukes this season after trailing at any point.

Up Next
Due to forecasted inclement weather, the middle game between the Dukes and Herd has been moved up to 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 11 at Veterans Memorial Park.