Softball Drops Weekend Finale to Southern Miss

Sunday, February 11

Jacksonville, Fla. / UNF Softball Complex

11:30 a.m.

James Madison University

4-1

Southern Miss

2-3

Southern Mississippi

James Madison

2/11/2024 4:08:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – James Madison softball dropped its weekend finale of the River City Leadoff, falling to Southern Miss 3-2 on Sunday afternoon.

The loss drops JMU to 4-1 on the season, while USM moved to 2-3.

Bella Henzler led the Dukes at the plate, recording two hits. The sophomore catcher finished the weekend with a slash line of .450/.476/.500, collecting nine hits and a double. Madison Edwards, Abbie Campbell, and Kate Carrier also picked up hits, but JMU was held to five hits, a season low.

Pitcher Molly Grube (1-1) started for the second time this season, lasting only 2/3 of an inning. The graduate transfer from Virginia surrendered two runs and walked two batters. Payton List and Kirsten Fleet relieved Grube, pitching 6.1 scoreless innings. The Dukes' pitching staff allowed only nine runs in five games, working to an ERA of 1.40.

How It Happened
First Inning
Southern Miss chased Grube from the game early, as pitcher Dana Lee hit a two-run home run to center field, giving the Golden Eagles a 2-0 lead.

Second Inning
USM extended its advantage to 3-0 as Kinsley Gordon scored on a JMU throwing error.

Third Inning
Henzler led off the inning with a double to right-center, followed by a single to right from Edwards. Henzler scored on a steal, and Isabelle Fishman cut the USM lead to 3-2 on a sacrifice fly to left.

Game Notes

The matchup between JMU and Southern Miss marked the first times the teams have met.
The loss dropped the Dukes' record to 1-1 in one run games this season.
Fleet leads JMU in innings pitched (13.2) and strikeouts (10) through the season's first weekend.

Up Next
JMU welcomes Villanova, Lehigh, and George Mason to the Friendly City for the Weiler Orthodontics Invitational, set for Feb. 16-18. The Dukes will take on Villanova in the tournament opener on Friday at 11 a.m., followed by a game with Lehigh at 1:30 p.m.