Home Runs Lead Dukes Past Tigers

Saturday, March 24

Harrisonburg, Va.

11 A.M.

James Madison University

20-7, 1-0

Towson

20-6, 0-1

TOWSON

James Madison

3/24/2018 5:05:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 @JMUSoftball Photo Gallery Box Score - Game 1 Box Score - Game 2

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Over two games, sophomore Odicci Alexander went 7-for-7 at the plate tallying two of the five Dukes home runs to lead the James Madison softball team past Towson twice on the opening day of conference play.

In game one the Dukes run ruled the Tigers with a walk off home run in the sixth to seal the victory 9-0, while the second game of the day was a 10-5 victory in seven. JMU upped its overall record to 21-7 and start Colonial Athletic Association play at 2-0. The Tigers fell to 20-7 overall and 0-2 in league play.

JMU tallied 19 runs over 24 hits in the doubleheader only committing two errors. In the second game of the day, four Dukes hit home runs - Alexander hit her ninth long ball of the season, sophomore Kate Gordon hit her sixth, freshman Sara Jubas tallied her third and senior Morgan Tolle added her fourth.

Alexander also helped her cause in the circle upping her record to 11-2 after getting the start, pitching 4 2/3 innings allowing five runs on seven hits while fanning four over 27 batters faced. Freshman Payton Buresch came in for relief in the fifth, pitching 2 1/3 innings allowing no runs on no hits only walking one while striking out two.

The Dukes run ruled the Tigers in game one after Alexander had a walk off 2 RBI home run in the sixth to seal the 9-0 victory. It took five innings of work for either team to get on the board as the Dukes posted five runs in the bottom of the frame. Tolle and Gordon both had doubles to center field while Arnold ripped a single past second base to send runners home.

Buresch pitched her sixth complete game of the season after tossing six innings of work, only allowing five hits over 25 batters, striking out five and walking only two. The freshman improved to 10-4 in the circle.

SUCCESS IN CONFERENCE OPENERS
This weekend series marks the first time in four years that JMU has opened its conference slate at home and the Dukes have won nine straight conference openers, the last loss came in 2009 against Delaware in a 4-3 decision.

PHOTO OF THE GAME

See fully photo gallery here

QUOTING COACH LAPORTE
"Always a great feeling to open up conference play at home and to walk away with two wins. I was happy with the way we battled at the plate, 24 hits on the day is a solid showing and I think we are starting to hit our stride at bat. Also super proud of Odicci and Payton getting the job done in the circle, Towson is a tough team but we battled in the circle and in the field today to keep runs off the board. We have to be ready to come out stronger tomorrow as Towson isn't going to go down without a fight, it's going to be cold and we have to be able to execute the way we know how."

UP NEXT
The Dukes will close out the weekend series against the Tigers at 4 p.m. Sunday. Due to potential weather concerns, the game time was pushed back from a noon start.