JMU bat to be sent to College Baseball Hall of Fame

A baseball bat from James Madison’s opening-weekend sweep of Bucknell Feb. 18-20 has arrived at the College Baseball Hall of Fame in Lubbock, Texas after the Dukes socked 23 home runs in four games to open the 2011 season.

The 23 home runs led the nation, were more than the rest of the Colonial Athletic Association combined (13) and were more than the combined totals of 27 of the remaining 31 NCAA Division I conference for the opening weekend. The home run total was also one-third of the team’s entire 2010 tally of 68.

JMU scored 91 runs in the four-game series, a major reason why the Dukes still lead the nation in scoring offense through 13 games at 12.5 runs per game. The season opener featured 10 home runs and a school-record 37 runs while ranking as the most runs and highest margin of victory (37-7) in any NCAA Division I game this season. The 91 runs were the most over any four-game span in program history.

The bat was signed by each of the 10 JMU players who hit a home run in the series. Senior shortstop David Herbek (Haymarket, Va./Battlefield) hit five and was named National Player of the Week by both Collegiate Baseball and CollegeBaseballInsider.com as well as National Hitter of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Junior catcher Jake Lowery (Midlothian, Va./Cosby) and sophomore first baseman Matt Tenaglia (Doyelstown, Pa./Central Bucks East) had four each while redshirt senior second baseman Trevor Knight (Charlottesville, Va./St. Anne’s-Belfield).

In addition, senior center fielder Alex Foltz (Mathias, W.Va./East Hardy) socked a pair of long balls and sophomore outfielder Johnny Bladel (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) hit one. Four freshmen blasted their first career home run during the weekend with infielder Conner Brown (Richmond, Va./Godwin) doing so in his first career plate appearance. The other three were utility player Tyler McFarland (Bridgewater, Va./Turner Ashby), outfielder Joe Townsend (Lorton, Va./South County) and catcher Nick Merullo (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand).

The bat will be archived and displayed at the College Baseball Awards Show in July, other venues around the nation promoting college baseball, and eventually in the National College Baseball Hall of Fame upon completion of construction.

At 11-2. JMU is tied for its most wins through 13 games in program history (also 11-2 in 1979) and is in a three-way tie for its best winning percentage (11-2 in 1979 & 10-1-2 in 1988). The Dukes entered the national rankings on Monday, checking in at No. 27 by Collegiate Baseball and No. 30 by the NCBWA.