James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
James Madison University
9-6
Oregon
19-3
Softball Falls to No. 10 Oregon to Close Citrus Classic
3/4/2013 4:22:00 AM | Softball
ORLANDO, Fla., March 3, 2013 – Oregon scored five times in the third inning and hit four home runs in the game as it downed the James Madison softball team, 12-1, in the final game of the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic in Orlando, Fla., Sunday.
JMU lost its second straight to a nationally-ranked program, dropping to 2-3 in the tournament and 9-6 overall. Oregon, ranked 10th in this week's Top 25 Coaches Poll, finished unbeaten in the tournament hosted at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex to improve to 19-3 on the season.
Cheridan Hawkins earned the win for the Ducks to improve to 6-1 this season. She limited Madison to one run on two hits and a walk while striking out six in 5 2/3 innings of work. Karissa Hovinga struck out two in 1 1/3 innings of perfect relief.
Freshman left-hander Jailyn Ford (Hot Springs, Va./Bath County) drew the start in the circle for Madison. She took the loss after allowing 12 runs, nine earned, on 15 hits and two walks. The rookie struck out eight in 6 2/3 innings of work. Sophomore right-hander Heather Kiefer (Potomac Falls, Va./Potomac Falls) retired the only batter she faced in 1/3 inning of relief.
Left fielder Alyssa Gillespie paced the OU attack, going 4-for-4 with four singles and two runs scored. Catcher Alexa Peterson added two hits, including a home run, a walk, two RBIs and a run scored while first baseman Kailee Cuico went 2-for-4 with two runs and a RBI.
Ford doubled in two at-bats and scored a run to lead the way for the Dukes offensively. Senior catcher Megan Shinaberry (Davie, Fla./McCarthy) contributed a 1-for-1 showing with a walk and a RBI.
The Ducks used a couple of infield singles and a JMU throwing error to take the lead in the top of the third inning. Gillespie tapped a ball down the first-base line that died on the chalk for an infield single. After a strikeout, she moved to second on an infield single to third base by shortstop Courtney Ceo. Second baseman Kaylan Howard attempted to sacrifice both runners up a base, but the throw by the Dukes' defense sailed into right field allowing Gillespie to score from third.
Oregon capitalized on the mistake by Madison, adding four more runs in the frame. Two runs came in on RBI singles by center fielder Janie Takeda and Cuico before a second JMU throwing error scored them both.
Third baseman Kor
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hawkins, Cheridan (6-1)
L: Ford, Jailyn (5-1)
Batting:
2B: Costa, Koral 2
HR: Sullivan, Jamie Rae 1 ; Howard, Kaylan 1 ; Peterson, Alexa 1 ; Lindvall, Janelle 1
RBI: Sullivan, Jamie Rae 2 ; Howard, Kaylan 2 ; Cuico, Kailee 1 ; Takeda, Janie 1 ; Peterson, Alexa 2 ; Costa, Koral 1 ; Lindvall, Janelle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sullivan, Jamie Rae 1 ; Ceo, Courtney 2 ; Howard, Kaylan 2 ; Cuico, Kailee 2 ; Takeda, Janie 1 ; Peterson, Alexa 1 ; Lindvall, Janelle 1 ; Gillespie, Alyssa 2
CS: Gillespie, Alyssa 1
Batting:
2B: Ford, Jailyn 1
RBI: Shinaberry, Megan 1
SH: Sandy, Caitlin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ford, Jailyn 1
SB: Shinaberry, Megan 2
