JMU rallied from a two-run deficit in the ninth inning on a tying two-run double from senior second baseman Conner Brown (Richmond, Va./Godwin) and redshirt sophomore Kyle Weston(Penn Laird, Va./Spotswood) singled in the winning run for a 9-8 win over William and Mary after dropping the first game of a doubleheader 13-5 on Saturday at Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park.
With the doubleheader split, JMU stands at 12-20 overall and 4-3 in the CAA. W&M is 21-13 overall and 5-2 in the league. The series finale will be Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m.
Game 2 – James Madison 9, William and Mary 8
JMU led 5-2 after five innings and 5-4 after six innings. The Tribe took the lead in the eighth on an RBI double by third baseman Kevin Casey and a run-scoring single from catcher Devin White. The Dukes tied in the eighth on a bases-loaded walk by freshman left fielder Ky Parrott (Herndon, Va./Herndon).
W&M came right back again in the ninth, loading the bases on a walk, bunt single and another walk. Outfielder/first baseman Michael Katz blooped a single to right center to push across the go-ahead run and a bases loaded hit by pitch by second baseman Ryan Lindemuth made it 8-6. The Tribe still had the bases loaded with no outs but after a pickoff at third base, freshman Michael Evans (Falls Church, Va./George C. Marshall) entered and struck out consecutive batters.
In the ninth, the Tribe turned to Casey trying for his fifth save. James Madison’s rally started with a five-pitch walk by junior center fielder Kevin Husum (Panama City, Fla./Bay) followed by a double knocked off the wall in right field by senior third baseman Ty McFarland (Bridgewater, Va./Turner Ashby) on the ninth pitch of his at bat. Brown then doubled to left field on a one-ball, two-strike pitch to plate both runs and tie the score at 8-8.
W&M elected to intentionally walk the left-handed bat of senior right fielder Tyler Gregory (Dothan, Ala./Houston Academy) to set up the double play. The Tribe nearly got the double play as defensive replacement Ryder Miconi stepped on third on a grounder and fired to first, but his throw got away, which allowed Gregory to advance to third with one out. After a strikeout, Weston deposited a sharp single into left field to score Gregory and make JMU an instant winner.
After striking out the only two batters he faced, Evans was the benefactor of the JMU rally to improve to 2-0. Casey took the loss (2-2) after allowing three runs on three hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning.
JMU had four batters account for 10 of its 11 hits, led by Gregory’s 3-for-4 day with a home run, three RBIs, three runs scored and a walk. McFarland and Brown each doubled and tripled in the game while Weston also finished with two hits and added two RBIs.
White finished 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Tribe. Designated hitter Ryan Hissey had two hits with a two-run home run.
Game 1 – William and Mary 13, James Madison 5
W&M scored six runs in the fourth inning and had three of its top four hitters each drive in three runs in a 13-5 win in the opener. The Tribe already led 3-1 when they used just three hits to strike for six runs in the fourth and take a commanding 9-1 lead.
Jason Inghram allowed just one unearned run in seven innings with five strikeouts to pick up the win and improve to 6-1. Redshirt sophomore Aaron Hoover (Centreville, Va./Westfield) took the loss (0-5) with six runs, five earned, allowed in 3 1/3 innings.
Outfielder Nick Thompson was 3-for-6 with three RBIs to pace the Tribe offense. First baseman Kevin Nutter was 2-for-2 with two runs, three RBIs and two hit by pitches. Lindemuth also drove in three runs, including a two-run home run in the fourth. Casey added a three-hit game with two runs scored.
For JMU, outfielders Gregory and Parrott each had three-hit games with an RBI. Weston and designated hitter Josh Wyatt (Eden, Md./James M. Bennett) each had two hits to make it 10 total hits for the bottom four spots in the JMU order. Brown also had two hits.