Late Heroics Lift JMU to Series Victory at Coastal Carolina

Sunday, March 19

Conway, S.C.

Noon

James Madison University

15-7, 0

Coastal Carolina

24-6, 0

James Madison

Coastal Carolina

Late Heroics Lift JMU to Series Victory at Coastal Carolina

3/19/2023 2:31:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

CONWAY, S.C. – Freshman right fielder Kate Carrier broke the scoreless tie in the top of the seventh inning, and James Madison won its first Sun Belt Conference softball series with a 1-0 victory at Coastal Carolina on Sunday afternoon at St. John Stadium.

The Dukes improved to 15-7 on the year and 2-1 in Sun Belt play, while the Chanticleers dropped to 24-6 and 1-2.

Sunday's series finale featured quite the pitching duel between JMU junior Alissa Humphrey and CCU's Iyanla De Jesus, as the starters yielded a combined three hits and two walks.

Humphrey pitched five innings, striking out three and allowing just a single hit, which came in the top of the sixth. Freshman Kylah Berry (4-0) entered in relief and closed the game conceding one hit and a walk in her two innings of work to earn her second win in as many days.

De Jesus (3-2) went the distance, taking the loss for Coastal after only giving up a run on two hits and two walks with five strikeouts.

Both squads were held without a base hit until each team recorded singles in the sixth inning. Carrier was 1-for-3 with a single and the game-winning run, while sophomore infielder Jasmine Hall had JMU's other base knock.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Humphrey was perfect through five innings, retiring the first 15 Coastal Carolina batters, while De Jesus had a no hitter entering the sixth inning with a pair of walks and an error earlier in the game.
Jasmine Hall broke through with one away in the top of sixth with a single to left. Graduate infielder Hallie Hall got aboard with a hit by pitch on the ensuing at bat to put a runner in scoring position, but nothing further as the Chants got out the frame.
In the bottom half, Keirsten Roose lined a single to left in the leadoff spot. A sac bunt moved Roose to third with one out, but a groundout and pop up allowed JMU to get out the jam.
Carrier led off the seventh with a bouncer just out of the reach of the pitcher for an infield single. After a sac bunt moved her to second, she advanced to third on a wild pitch. With two away, another De Jesus wild pitch plated Carrier for the game's lone run.
Coastal wouldn't go quietly, as De Jesus belted a single deep to left. After a Maddy Jennings walk, moving the tying run in scoring position, JMU retired the next three batters, with Berry striking out the final Chanticleer looking.

UP NEXT
JMU returns home on Wednesday, March 22 to host George Mason for a doubleheader at Veterans Memorial Park. The opening pitch is set for a 3 p.m. start.