JMU Beats #13 Minnesota, Falls to #8 Georgia in Orlando

Friday, February 27

Orlando, Fla.

3:30 p.m.

James Madison University

6-4

Minnesota

14-2

Minnesota

James Madison

2/27/2015 9:48:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

ORLANDO, Fla. – James Madison opened play at the Citrus Classic Friday with a split as it tied its single-game program record for hits in a game to defeat No. 13 Minnesota, before conceding seven runs in the sixth to eighth-ranked Georgia in a 7-1 loss at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex.

The Dukes, who sit at 6-5 on the year, snapped the Gophers' six-game win streak (14-2) while the Bulldogs (15-2) won their third in a row.

JMU returns to action at the Citrus Classic Saturday afternoon as it faces Maryland at 3:30 p.m. and 20th-ranked Missouri at 5:45 p.m.

Game 1: James Madison 8, #13 Minnesota 2
James Madison exploded for 18 hits, scoring seven unanswered runs to upend No. 13 Minnesota, 8-2, in the Citrus Classic Friday evening at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex.

The 18 hits tied a single-game program record for hits in a game, which was set on two other occasions, but was the most ever against a nationally-ranked opponent.

Freshman pitcher Megan Good (3-0) threw a complete game, allowing just two earned runs, four hits and two walks, while striking out seven batters. She also finished the day 3-for-4 from the plate with two RBI and two runs scored.

Freshman second baseman Morgan Tolle reached base each time she stepped up to bat, going a perfect 4-for-4 with one RBI. Two others recorded three hits in the win as sophomore Niki Prince was 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI while junior catcher Erica Field also went 3-for-4. Junior left fielder Hannah Hayes also led all players with three RBI.

Prince opened the scoring with a lead-off home run, her first of the season and seventh in her career, to put the Dukes ahead 1-0. The Gophers struck back with a two-run second, as Danielle Parlich hit a RBI triple and later scored on a fielder's choice to make it a 2-1 lead for UM.

JMU answered with three runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning to grab a 4-2 advantage. Good hit a two-RBI single to give the lead back to Dukes for good, and with the bases loaded, she scored after Hayes was hit by a pitch. JMU tacked on two more runs in both the fourth and the sixth innings to earn the victory.

Game 2: #8 Georgia 7, James Madison 1
Eighth-ranked Georgia produced all of its run support in the sixth inning to rally for a 7-1 victory against James Madison in the night cap at Wide World of Sports.

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth, the Bulldogs got on the board with a bases-clearing, three-RBI double by Paige Wilson, to give them a 3-1 lead.

The lead stretched to 5-1 two batters later when Kaylee Puailoa singled up the middle to bring around two more. Georgia put the game out of reach on the ensuing at-bat when Anna Swafford homered to center, making it 7-1.

Chelsea Wilkinson (10-2) picked up the win in the circle with a complete game, allowing one earned run and seven hits, to go with a game-high nine strikeouts. Junior pitcher Jailyn Ford (2-3) took the loss after surrendering six runs (five earned) and eight hits in 5.0 innings pitched.

Freshman first baseman Megan Good went 2-for-3 with the team's lone RBI as she singled up the middle in the fourth inning, scoring sophomore pinch runner Mimi Morris from second base to give the Dukes a 1-0 lead to that point. Ford also went 2-for-3 from the plate in the loss.