Grand Slam Sends Dukes Past Arkansas Pine Bluff

Friday, March 9

Honolulu, Hawaii

4 P.M.

James Madison University

16-4

Arkansas - Pine Bluff

3-11

Arkansas Pine Bluff

James Madison

3/9/2018 7:55:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score @JMUSoftball

HONOLULU – Senior Morgan Tolle hit a grand slam in the bottom of the fourth inning on Friday afternoon at the Spring Fling Tournament in Honolulu to send James Madison softball past Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 5-1.

The Dukes bounced back after dropping two games on Thursday, to improve their record to 16-4. Arkansas Pine Bluff fell to 3-11.

Tolle led the Dukes at the plate going 4-for-4 with four RBI and launched her first grand slam of the season over the left field wall, sending home Logan Newton, Ashley Samuels and Madison Naujokas. Newton led off the inning with her first collegiate hit with a single to first base.

Sophomore Kate Gordon had an RBI single to left field in the bottom of the sixth that allowed Cambry Arnold, who reached base with a bunt, come home. Arnold also was productive on offense going 3-for-4 with three singles.

Freshman Payton Buresch was credited with the win, upping her record in the circle to 7-2. She hurled four innings, allowing one run on three hits while striking out three and walking one. Sophomore Odicci Alexander came in for relief in the fifth and only allowed one hit while striking out seven over 10 batters faced to earn the save.

QUOTING COACH LAPORTE
"Glad we were able to bounce back after a hard day yesterday. We saw some production out of our bats that we were missing yesterday, as we tallied 12 hits. There are a lot of things we take away from games like these though, using every chance we can as a learning moment. We are excited to close out our time in Hawaii tomorrow and hope we can be productive on both sides of the ball and take home a few more wins."

UP NEXT
The Dukes close out their stay in Hawaii on Saturday with back-to-back games against BYU and Hawaii. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. ET.