Bats and Kuhle’s Complete Game Lead Dukes to Win in Opener

Friday, May 2

Statesboro, Ga.

6:30 p.m.

James Madison University

14-32, 0

Georgia Southern

24-22, 0

James Madison

Georgia Southern

Bats and Kuhle’s Complete Game Lead Dukes to Win in Opener

5/2/2025 9:31:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

STATESBORO, Ga. – James Madison junior Max Kuhle tossed the first nine-inning complete game in five years and the bats erupted for 11 runs as the Dukes took down Georgia Southern, 11-1, in the series opener at J.I. Clements Stadium in Friday night Sun Belt Conference baseball.

The Dukes snapped a five-game skid, improving to 14-32 (7-15 SBC), while the Eagles dropped to 24-22 (10-12 SBC).

Freshman Jack Anderson had a career day at the plate to lead the Dukes. He went 4-for-4 to set a new career-high, adding a double, a homer, a walk, a career-high three runs scored and a career-high-tying three RBIs. Junior Max Kuhle (2-4) tossed his first career complete game, going a career-high nine innings with seven strikeouts while scattering three hits. It is the first nine-inning complete game for the Dukes since Justin Showalter tossed a one-hitter against Quinnipiac on Feb. 22, 2020.

How It Happened
First Inning
After sophomore Kyle Langley led off the game with a double, junior Wyatt Peifer plated the first run of the game with a single to give JMU a 1-0 lead.

Fourth Inning
Anderson added a pair of runs to the lead, following classmate Reece Moody's single with a long ball over the left field wall. Anderson's second homer of the year made it 3-0 for the Dukes.

Fifth Inning
JMU scored four runs to take a commanding 7-0 lead, loading the bases three batters into the inning. Moody knocked in a run on a sacrifice fly before Anderson tied his career-high in RBIs of three with a bunt single. Two batters later, junior Maddux Fleck singled in a run with a second run scoring on a fielding error in the outfield.

Sixth Inning
The Eagles got their first run on the board on a groundout after a one-out triple, making the score 7-1.

Eighth Inning
Dooley made it a 10-1 lead for the Dukes, smacking a three-run homer over the 24-foot-high right field wall.

Ninth Inning
The Dukes made it a 10-run lead as Fleck drove in a run to make the score 11-1 on a sacrifice fly.

Game Notes

The Dukes led off the first five innings with base hits. Doubles were hit in the first and second innings with singles recorded in the third to fifth innings.
Ryan Dooley's homer in the eighth inning was JMU's first three-run homer of the season.
For the fifth time this season, the Dukes scored in double-digits.
Five Dukes connected for multiple hits while Jack Anderson and Ryan Dooley both knocked in three runs.
The 10-run win is JMU's largest margin of win since knocking off Old Dominion 15-5 in last season's Sun Belt tournament and its largest margin of win in the regular season since taking down Richmond 14-4 last year.
Max Kuhle became the first JMU pitcher to toss a nine-inning complete game in a conference game since April 24, 2015 when Aaron Hoover faced off against Towson.
The Dukes have their first road nine-inning complete game since Aaron Hoover tossed a complete game at Towson on April 26, 2014.