Ninth-Ranked JMU Goes 2-0 with Wins over #23 Nebraska and Georgetown

Saturday, March 12

Tempe, Ariz.

Noon ET

James Madison University

20-2

Nebraska

13-6

Nebraska

James Madison

Ninth-Ranked JMU Goes 2-0 with Wins over #23 Nebraska and Georgetown

3/12/2016 8:17:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

TEMPE, Ariz. – The ninth-ranked James Madison softball team conceded just one run and five hits on day two of the Louisville Slugger Invitational, beating No. 23 Nebraska 7-0 and Georgetown 2-1 on Saturday at Farrington Stadium.

The Dukes improved to 21-2 this season while Nebraska dropped to 13-6 and Georgetown fell to 5-14.

JMU's pitching staff of senior Jailyn Ford and sophomore Megan Good both threw complete games, as the duo moved their individual season records to 9-1 and 12-1, respectively. In game one, Ford gave up two hits while striking out six and Good rounded out the day by striking out a season-best 12 batters and allowing an unearned run off three hits.

Senior catcher Erica Field joined elite company in game two of the day, as her first-inning single tied JMU's all-time record for career hits, with 232. She matched former standout Jasmine Butler (2010-13) and achieved the feat in 19 fewer games, reaching the number in her 200th career game, all of which have been starts.

Junior utility player Niki Prince hit her fourth home run of the season against the Huskers and junior outfielder Taylor Newton drove in a pair of runs between the two games while sophomore infielder Morgan Tolle scored a team-best three runs in the triumphs.

In game one, JMU avenged yesterday's loss to Nebraska, with a convincing 7-0 victory. Good gave the Dukes the lead in the first, driving in Tolle with an RBI double down the right-field line. Prince doubled the lead to 2-0 in the second with her solo homer. The Dukes tacked on a pair of unearned runs in the fourth and added three more in the fifth to split their weekend against Nebraska.

Much like the start of the first game, JMU opened the first inning against Georgetown with a run as Newton ripped an RBI double down the left-field line, scoring Field. Tolle led off the fifth with a double to left center, and after advancing to third, she scored on a fielding error at shortstop to make it a 2-0 ballgame. The Hoyas got on the board in the sixth as Mallory Belknap singled up the middle to plate Georgetown's lone run. GU put a runner on in the seventh with two outs on a hit by pitch, but the ensuing batter grounded out to end the game.

QUOTING COACH DEAN
"After yesterday, I don't think neither Jailyn nor Megan felt they pitched up to our level and were really focused coming in to today. We also made some great defensive plays. In the first inning against Nebraska, Kassie Brammer robbed one with runners on for the third out of the inning, which was a huge play. Offensively, we didn't put a lot of hits together but the hits we had were big hits - home runs, triples and doubles."

FIELD HITS HER WAY INTO JMU HISTORY
Erica Field, who already holds JMU's all-time record for doubles and RBIs, tied for her third program record on Saturday as her game-two single against Georgetown was her 232nd, matching Jasmine Butler's record, which she set back in 2013. One more hit tomorrow will push her alone atop the hits leaderboard.

MEGAN FANS PLENTY OF HOYAS
Megan Good had one of her stronger pitching days in the Georgetown win as she struck out 12 batters, a season high for the sophomore. It's was the second time this season she had at least 10 strikeouts and the fifth of her career. It was also two strikeouts shy her career best of 14, which she set in her first career start against Maine back on Feb. 14, 2015.

RACKING UP NATIONALLY-RANKED WINS
JMU has now played eight games against nationally-ranked opponents this season and Saturday's win over No. 23 Nebraska improved the Dukes' record to 6-2 in those games. JMU has outscored ranked teams 35-15 in 2016. Tomorrow's weekend finale will be the ninth when taking on host Arizona State.

UP NEXT
JMU closes its two-week road trip on Sunday, March 13 when it battles 21st-ranked Arizona State in the final game of the Louisville Slugger Invitational. This will mark the first-ever meeting between the Dukes and Sun Devils. First pitch is set for 2:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. PT).