Newton Lifts JMU to 7-0 Win Over Princeton

Friday, May 20

Harrisonburg, Va.

4:30 p.m.

James Madison University

47-4

Princeton

23-27

Princeton

James Madison

5/20/2016 6:55:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. – With a career-high five RBIs, junior Taylor Newton led seventh-seeded James Madison softball to a 7-0 win over Princeton in the Dukes' regional opener on Friday evening at Veterans Memorial Park in front of a sellout crowd of 1,726 fans. The Dukes advance into the winners bracket where they will face North Carolina on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Senior Hannah Hayes led off the five-run third inning with a RBI single to center field, plating junior Niki Prince. After walks from senior catcher Erica Field and senior infielder Jailyn Ford, Newton launched a grand slam over the left field wall, lifting JMU to a 5-0 lead.

James Madison tacked on two more runs with an RBI single from Newton, followed by a sac fly from outfielder Tahli Moore in the fifth.

With her 30th win of the year (30-2), sophomore Megan Good broke the single-season wins record with the shutout performance, allowing only three hits while striking out six.

James Madison moved to 47-4 on the season while Princeton fell to 23-27.

NOTEWORTHY NUMBERS
With the 7-0 win, Megan Good set the JMU single-season shutout record with 10, surpassing herself with nine in her rookie campaign.

James Madison (47-4) is one win away from tying the single-season wins record set in 2015 with 48.

JMU heads into Saturday's contest riding a seven-game win streak and a 4-0 record in the postseason.

QUOTING HEAD COACH MICKEY DEAN
"I thought the first two or three innings we were chasing, we were anxious trying to hit it. I said 'look, I know you want to hit the ball, but make her pitch. Because if we hit our pitches, we'll make a day here.' We might have had two walks that inning too. Then we had the big hit from Taylor, the grand slam."

For full postgame interview visit here.

PLAY OF THE DAY

For full highlights visit here.

TWEET OF THE DAY

View from JMU's version on the Monster. NCAA Round 1. Go Dukes!! @JMUSoftball pic.twitter.com/uw9dHuHv1z
— Sean O'Regan (@CoachOJMU) May 20, 2016

HARRISONBURG REGIONAL
North Carolina defeated Longwood 6-4 in game one of the Harrisonburg Regional Friday afternoon as Kristen Brown hit a two-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh. Princeton and Longwood will face off Saturday at 4:30 p.m in the game four of the regional.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

For full gallery visit here.