Prince Breaks CAA Runs Record in No. 14 JMU’s Sweep of North Carolina

Wednesday, April 26

Chapel Hill, N.C.

4 p.m.

James Madison University

40-6

(RV) North Carolina

36-14

James Madison

North Carolina

Prince Breaks CAA Runs Record in No. 14 JMU’s Sweep of North Carolina

4/26/2017 9:07:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 @JMUSoftball Game One Box Game Two Box 2017 Statistics 2017 Schedule

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Senior shortstop Niki Prince broke the Colonial Athletic Association runs scored record as No. 14/15 James Madison softball swept (RV) North Carolina at Anderson Softball Stadium on Wednesday evening.

The Dukes came from behind in the first game of the doubleheader to take a 4-3 lead into the seventh inning. The Tar Heels threatened by loading the bases with no outs, but the Dukes retired three straight batters to hang on to the victory. Behind freshman Odicci Alexander's two-hit shutout, JMU notched an 8-0 victory in run-rule fashion to sweep the doubleheader. JMU improved to 41-6 overall while North Carolina fell to 36-15.

Prince led JMU at the plate going 2-for-4 with a walk and hit by pitch. She scored three runs over the series to break not only JMU's program record but also the CAA conference record for career runs scored.

Freshman outfielder Cambry Arnold and junior infielder Morgan Tolle both knocked three hits during Wednesday's doubleheader. Freshman infielder Madison Naujokas drove in a team-leading three runs off two hits.

Junior Megan Good earned the victory in the series opener. Over seven innings, she allowed three runs off seven hits. The right-hander struck out six while issuing three walks. Good improved to 29-1 on the season, which ties her freshman season effort for the second-most wins over a single season.

Alexander was virtually untouchable during the second game of the doubleheader as she dealt a shutout to improve to 9-5. She allowed just two hits and a walk while striking out five.

Good helped her own cause to open Wednesday's doubleheader slate as a long fly ball to left field cleared the fence for a solo home run. The Tar Heels answered in the bottom of the first as designated player Kendra Lynch knocked a solo homer to right center field.

The Tar Heels took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the second with a solo home run by pitcher Brittany Pickett, marking the first time this season Good had allowed multiple home runs in a game. UNC took advantage of defensive miscues as three JMU errors in the bottom of the third allowed an unearned run to score.

JMU loaded the bases to lead off the top of the fourth before freshman catcher Kierstin Roadcap knocked a one-out single up the middle to plate a run and turn over the JMU lineup. Tolle put JMU back on top 4-3 with two-RBI single up the middle.

The Tar Heels led off the bottom of the seventh with three straight singles to load the bases and put the winning-run in scoring position, but Good stuck out two before senior infielder Madyson Moran made a diving snag at third base to preserve a 4-3 victory.

Game two began in similar fashion as Moran gave JMU a 1-0 lead in the top of the second with a solo home run to left field. JMU extended its lead in the top of third as senior outfielder Taylor Newton launched her team-leading ninth home run of the season to score Arnold and extend JMU's lead to 3-0.

JMU added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth as Naujokas smoked a two-RBI single through the left side. Prince came around to score on the hit to break Jailyn Ford's program record for runs scored.

After a couple walks and a fielder's choice put two Dukes on base, an UNC throwing error on Prince's comebacker to the pitcher plated two runs and allow Prince to reach third. She would score on a sacrifice bunt from Naujokas that gave JMU an 8-0 lead and broke the Colonial Athletic Association's runs scored record.

Alexander dominated the Tar Heels in the circle as she held North Carolina to just two hits over seven innings of work to pick up her ninth victory of the season.

QUOTING COACH DEAN
"We had a team meeting yesterday, and the one thing we talked about was grit and fight. Today, we had to fight. We did a nice job. We did a good job in the circle. Our defense got a little anxious during the first game, but we settled down and made them earn their runs. We stuck with our game plan with our at bats. I was proud of the way we responded today."

PRINCE CROWNED QUEEN
Senior Niki Prince shattered a program record during Wednesday night's action. Scoring the go-ahead run in JMU's 4-3 victory over the Tar Heels, Prince tied Jailyn Ford (2013-16) for JMU's career runs scored record of 158. The shortstop went on to break the record in game two as she came home to score in the top of the third on an two-RBI single off the bat of Madison Naujokas.

Prince would come around to score for the third time on a Naujokas sacrifice bunt to tally her 160th career run to break the Colonial Athletic Association runs scored record of 159 that was held by Georgia State's Danielle Roddy (2007-10).

"I'm pretty excited that I broke a record that actually counts, unlike the hit by pitch record," Prince said. "I'm not too proud about that one. I couldn't do it with my teammates, so I am grateful for them."

BOMBS AWAY
With her team-leading ninth home run of the season, Taylor Newton moved into a tie for second on JMU's all-time career home runs list. Newton is tied with Ashley Burnham (2009-12) with 35 career homers. Jailyn Ford holds the record with 46 over her career.

TWEET OF THE GAME

T5 | Coming around to score on a sacrifice bunt by Naujokas... @nikiprince5 sets the @CAASports record for career runs scored! #GoDukes pic.twitter.com/6C0IV9tHoV
— JMU Softball (@JMUSoftball) April 26, 2017

UP NEXT
JMU returns to Colonial Athletic Association action this weekend with a three-game series against Drexel at Veterans Memorial Park. The series begins with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 29 at 3 p.m. with the series finale set for Sunday, April 30 at 1 p.m. With inclement weather in the weekend forecast, stay tuned to @JMUSoftball on Twitter for any adjustments to the schedule.