James Madison Records a Pair of 7-0 Shutouts as Dukes Sweep Delaware in CAA Doubleheader
April 14, 2012
• Game 1 Boxscore
• Game 2 Boxscore
File Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell
HARRISONBURG, Va. -- James Madison pitchers Heather Kiefer and Sarah Mooney each fired a shutout as the Dukes swept a Colonial Athletic Association softball doubleheader from the University of Delaware with a pair of 7-0 victories Saturday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Park.
The opener remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Ashley Burnham doubled down the leftfield line with two outs and Haley Johnson followed with a two-run homer to left. Mooney then drilled a solo shot to center, giving the Dukes a 3-0 lead.
James Madison (24-20, 10-1 CAA) added a run in the fifth on an RBI single by Burnham and the Dukes looked for another run when Johnson attempted to hit a sacrifice fly, but UD junior centerfielder Lara Andrews threw out Morgan Heath at the plate to end the inning.
The Dukes then added three runs in the sixth on an RBI single by Megan Shinaberry and a two-run single by Cassidy Clayton to conclude the scoring.
Kiefer fired a one-hit shutout in the circle for the Dukes, allowing only a one-out single to Alicea Coy in the top of the first inning. Kiefer, who struck out two batters while not walking any, improved to 10-3 on the season while posting her fourth shutout of the year. Blue Hen starter Chenxi Jiao dropped to 2-19 after allowing three earned runs on six hits in 3.2 innings of work, while Brianna Jennings was charged with four runs, three earned, on six hits in 2.1 innings of relief.
The Dukes then took control of the nightcap by pushing across three runs during the bottom of the second inning. Johnson scored the first run of the game when Shinaberry reached on an error by Blue Hen third baseman Jessica Grisler, and after Caitlen Manning legged out a bunt single to drive home Sandy, Shinaberry crossed the plate on a bunt by Anna Klumpp.
The following inning Johnson delivered an RBI double to make it 4-0, and after a two-run double by Caitlin Sandy, Shinaberry lofted a sacrifice fly to right to drive home Sandy and make it a 7-0 game.
Delaware (9-35-1, 2-9 CAA) looked to rally as the Blue Hens loaded the bases in both the fifth and sixth innings, but each time Mooney worked out of the jam to keep UD off the scoreboard.
Mooney improved to 8-8 on the campaign after allowing just four singles and four walks to record her second shutout of the year for the Dukes. Hannah Rust fell to 5-7 for the Blue Hens after allowing seven runs, five earned, on seven hits in three innings of work, while Kathleen Conway (at right) gave up just one hit in three scoreless frames of relief.
Coy, Michelle McKinnon, Morgan Culver and Marisa Newman each recorded a hit for the Blue Hens.
James Madison and Delaware wrap up their weekend series on Sunday with a single game beginning at 12 noon at Veterans Memorial Park.
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