Dukes Win Extra-Inning Thriller, 2-1, over Penn State

Sunday, March 1

Orlando, Fla.

11:15 a.m.

James Madison University

7-5

Penn State

8-9

James Madison

Penn State

3/1/2015 2:24:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

ORLANDO, Fla. - James Madison used an eighth-inning run and escaped a bases-loaded jam to earn a thrilling 2-1 extra innings victory at the Citrus Classic softball tournament against Penn State on Sunday afternoon at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex.

The Dukes improved to 7-5 on the season while the Nittany Lions fell to 8-9 overall.

Junior catcher Erica Field went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and one RBI, as she drove in the game-winning run in the top of the eighth inning when she doubled to left field to score sophomore short stop Niki Prince.

In the bottom half of the inning, Penn State loaded the bases with no outs but junior pitcher/first baseman Jailyn Ford came in to pitch to close out the game. After she struck out the first batter she faced, the Dukes produced the second out of the inning when Field threw the ball to Ford to tag out the lead runner, trying to score from third on a wild pitch. Ford followed that up with her second strikeout of the inning to earn her first save of the year.

Freshman pitcher Megan Good earned the win in the circle, pitching 6.0 innings in relief to improve to 4-0 on the year. She allowed one earned run, four hits and two walks, while striking out four batters. Taking the loss for PSU was Marlaina Laubach (3-4), who tossed 8.0 innings, giving up two runs (one earned) and seven hits.

The Dukes got on the board in the fourth inning, to take a 1-0 lead. Field hit a double to center and sophomore utility Caitlin Viafora came in to pinch run. After Good grounded out for the second out, advancing Viafora to third, Ford singled to third base, scoring Viafora for the game's first run.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Lions tied the game with single swing of the bat as Macy Jones hit a home run to right field to make it 1-1 but that would be the lone run PSU would put on the board all day.

James Madison opens up its home schedule on Wednesday, March 4, when it hosts Virginia in a doubleheader, beginning at 4 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park.

NOTE: In non-conference softball tournaments, when games go to extra innings, the last batter from the previous inning is placed on second base as part of the international tie-breaking rule.