After setting or tying school records for wins, shutouts, saves, innings pitched and strikeouts, James Madison softball sophomore pitcher/first baseman Jailyn Ford (Hot Springs, Va./Bath County) was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America Second Team, the organization announced on Wednesday. Ford is the first player in program history to be named a NFCA All-American.
Ford was one of 54 student-athletes honored from 31 universities on Wednesday. She helped lead JMU to a school-record 45 wins and its second-ever Colonial Athletic Association Championship, as the Dukes advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.
The left-hander went 24-7 with a 1.26 ERA in 41 appearances. She had 21 complete games, nine shutouts, two combined shutouts and four saves. Ford struck out 233 batters against 40 walks in 228 2/3 innings pitched and held her opponents to a .200 batting average against. She also helped her team become the first-ever CAA program to sweep a three-game series from Hofstra and was the only pitcher in the nation to shutout Oregon, the top-seeded team in the NCAA Tournament.
At the plate, Ford hit .268 with a team-best nine home runs and 36 runs scored. She chipped in nine doubles while breaking the school record for walks in a season with 34. In addition, the Bath County, Virginia native stole nine bases and posed a .986 fielding percentage on 144 fielding opportunities.
The NFCA announced its three All-America teams during festivities surrounding the start of the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma this week. The eight remaining teams begin vying for the national championship on Thursday with a quadruple header scheduled at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.
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Chris Graham
