JMU Softball Closes Season with 4-2 Win Over Drexel

Saturday, May 7

Harrisonburg, Va.

3:00 p.m.

James Madison University

29-23, 8-12

Drexel

15-27, 7-14

Drexel

James Madison

5/7/2011 9:14:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va., May 7, 2011 – The James Madison softball celebrated senior day with a 4-2 triumph over Drexel at Veterans Memorial Park on Saturday.

The Dukes improved to 29-23 overall and 8-12 in Colonial Athletic Association play while dropping the Dragons to 15-27 and 7-14 in the league.

Senior pitcher Olivia McPherson (Liberty, N.C./Southern Alamance) earned the win to improve to 12-13. She allowed two runs, one earned, on seven hits and two walks while striking out three in five innings pitched. Freshman right-hander Brittany Jeans (Camano Island, Wash./Stanwood) tossed two innings of shutout relief to earn her second save of the season.

Hillary Allen took the loss for Drexel to drop to 11-11. The right-hander ceded four runs on eight hits and five walks while striking out one in six innings pitched.

Offensively, the Dukes were led by junior second baseman Caitlen Manning (Prince George, Va./Prince George) who went 2-for-2 with a run and a RBI. Sophomore center fielder Jasmine Butler (Winter Garden, Fla./West Orange) went 2-for-4 with a run and a RBI while redshirt senior left fielder Chel'sea Ryan (Sandston, Va./Henrico) had a double, a walk, a run and a RBI in three trips to the plate. Junior shortstop Ashley Burnham (Danvers, Mass./Danvers) doubled, scored a run, stole a base and walked three times.

Catcher Paige Collings went 3-for-3 with a double and a run to pace the Dragons. Center fielder Laura Stagliano had two hits in four at-bats while second baseman Rachel Campbell went 1-for-3 with a RBI.

JMU struck for the game's first run in the bottom of the second inning. Manning led off the frame with a single through the left side and moved to second on a groundout. After a walk, Ryan laced a double into the gap in left-center, scoring Manning from second.

Drexel evened the score in the top of the third. Shortstop Devon Metcalf started the inning with an infield single. She advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and a passed ball, before scoring on a RBI single through the left side by Campbell.

The Dukes responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning to retake the lead. Burnham started the rally with a lead-off walk and moved to second on a single up the middle by sophomore center fielder Jasmine Butler (Winter Garden, Fla./West Orange). During the ensuing at-bat, Burnham stole third and Collings' throw down to third hit the batter and bounced out of play. Burnham was awarded home and Butler advanced to third. Manning lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to cap the inning as Butler scored for a 3-1 lead.