JMU SOFTBALL WINS TWO TO OPEN CHARLOTTE TOURNAMENT

Friday, February 25

Charlotte, N.C.

4:00 p.m.

James Madison University

5-2

Robert Morris

1-1

Robert Morris

James Madison

2/25/2011 11:40:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 25, 2011 – Junior shortstop Ashley Burnham (Danvers, Mass./Danvers) hit two home runs and drove in a career-high five RBIs to help lead James Madison softball to a 10-4 lead over Robert Morris in the Charlotte Green and White Classic on Friday.

JMU has won four straight to improve to 2-0 in the tournament and 5-2 on the season. RMU dropped to 1-1 in their first action of the season.

Freshman pitcher Brittany Jeans (Camano Island, Wash./Stanwood) drew the start and picked up her first collegiate win. The rookie right-hander allowed three runs on eight hits while striking out two in four innings pitched. Senior Olivia McPherson (Liberty, N.C./Southern Alamance) allowed one unearned run on three hits and one walk to earn her first save in a JMU uniform.

Geena Badolato took the loss to drop to 0-1. She gave up nine runs, eight earned, on eight hits. Alexa Bryson gave up one unearned run on one hit and three walks in 2 2/3 innings of relief.

Burnham finished the game 3-for-4 with two home runs, five RBIs and tied her career-high with three runs scored. The two homers gives her 14 for her career, moving her into a tie with Jenn Chavez (2005-08) for fourth on the school's all-time list.

Sophomore center fielder Jasmine Butler (Winter Garden, Fla./West Orange) went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and a stolen base. Junior first baseman Casey Mansfield (Suffolk, Va./Isle of Wight) chipped in with her first home run of the season and two RBIs while freshman designated player Catherine Clavin (Puquoson, Va./Puquoson) added a hit, a run and a RBI.

Designated player Annie Dubovec led the Colonials going 3-for-4 with a run and two RBIs. First baseman Kayla Crooks had two hits, a double and two RBIs while third baseman Britta Grafton added two hits and a run scored.

RMU jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first half inning of play, capped by an RBI double to left field by Crooks.

The Dukes came back with four runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. After Burnham scored on a steal of second by junior second baseman Caitlen Manning (Prince George, Va./Prince George), Manning came around to even the score on an RBI single to left by Clavin. Mansfield then lifted a two-run blast to right field to make it 4-2.

Dubovec's second RBI single of the game cut the JMU lead in half in the top of the second. Catche