COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Despite holding the lead in the seventh inning of both games, the Towson University softball team dropped a doubleheader to James Madison on Saturday afternoon at the College Park Softball Complex.

Senior pitcher Missy McCormick was nearly perfect through six innings of game one, allowing just one hit while striking out five. Towson took a 1-0 lead into the seventh with the lone Tiger run coming in the third inning off a Hailey Balk single that drove in Olivia Yarbrough.

The Dukes got to McCormick in the seventh though. Megan Good, who pitched eight innings to get the win and improve to 11-0 on the year, led off the inning with a walk. Two batters later, Taylor Newton doubled down the right field line to drive in Good and tie the game. With runners at second and third and two down later in the inning, McCormick struck out Morgan Tolle. However, the Tigers went quite in the bottom of the seventh and the game went into extra innings.

In the eighth frame, JMU took its first lead of the game and didn't look back. After the opening batter popped out, the Dukes hit for the cycle over their next four batters. Niki Prince doubled, Erica Field tripled, Good singled and Jailyn Ford homered in consecutive at-bats to give JMU a 5-1 win.

James Madison got on the board first in game two when Tolle plated Hannah Hayes and Newton with a double to deep left center, giving the Dukes a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning.

The Tigers bounced back in the bottom half of the inning when freshman Kendyl Scott blasted the first home run of her career, a three-run shot to dead center to give Towson a 3-2 lead. The Tigers held onto that lead until the top of the seventh inning.

Freshman pitcher Megan Dejter was just one out away from picking up the win when the Dukes once again came alive late. JMU's Tahli Moore tripled down the right field line, just inches inside the first base bag, to plate Jessica Mrozek and tie the game.

Extra innings was not needed in the second game though as two batters later Field doubled down the left field line to give Dukes a 4-3 lead which they held onto.

With the doubleheader sweep, James Madison improves to 21-6 overall and 2-0 in Colonial Athletic Association play. Towson drops to 9-9 overall and 0-2 in league play.

The Tigers and Dukes return to Maryland Softball Stadium on Sunday for the final game of the series. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.


-TowsonTigers.com-