The Dukes head to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight season.
JMU Wins Third Softball Title
Tim McDonnell
#CAAChamps Central Page
#1 James Madison 8, #2 Towson 0 (F/6)
Boxscore |
Highlights
HARRISONBURG, Va. (May 13, 2016) – Senior Jailyn Ford tossed a one-hit shutout and was named Tournament Most Outstanding Performer as top-seeded James Madison won its third overall Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Softball Championship, beating second-seeded Towson, 8-0, in six innings on Friday.
Seventh-ranked JMU, appearing in the championship title game for the fourth straight season and sixth overall, last hoisted the trophy in 2014 and won its first in 2009. The Dukes improved to 46-4 on the year and are now three wins away from passing the all-time single-season CAA record of 48 set by the program last season.
Ford walked just one batter and struck out 11 in the victory. She did not allow a run over two starts at the championship and gave up just four total hits and four walks to go along with 22 strikeouts. At the plate on Friday, the righty had a hit, one RBI, one run and also ended the game via a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the sixth inning. Junior Taylor Newton drove in four runs on a single in the third and a triple in the fifth, while sophomore Morgan Tolle and junior Niki Prince each collected two hits and one run.
Madison earns the conference’s automatic bid into the 2016 NCAA Softball Championship and makes the NCAA postseason for the fourth straight year and fifth time overall. The 64-field tournament bracket will be announced on Sunday, May 15 at 10:00 p.m. on ESPNU.
Towson (37-17) also made its sixth appearance in the title game and first since 2014. Earlier on Friday morning, the Tigers defeated third-seeded College of Charleston, 12-1, in five innings. Senior Ambar Hickman (16-6) made her second start of the day and allowed five runs on seven hits. The right-hander lasted 4.1 innings and also walked four batters. Freshman Nicole Stockinger recorded TU’s only hit, a single, in the top of the third inning.
The host Dukes opened up the scoring in the third, plating three runs. With runners on the corners and one down, Tolle singled through the left side to make it 1-0. After a fly-out, Ford followed and hit a grounder to second that looked to end the inning for TU, but the ball slipped through second basemen Caroline Reid’s legs and another run came across. Newton rounded out the scoring with a liner up the middle on the first pitch she saw.
In the fourth, Hickman walked her second batter of the frame with one out and Ford loaded the bases with a single up the middle. Newton came through again, but in a strange way. She hit what looked like a bloop single to right, but the ball bounced awkwardly over right fielder Courtney Johnson’s head and turned into a three-run triple. Madison added another run when Hickman was charged with a balk, allowing Newton to come home freely and make it 7-0.
JMU ended the game, as mentioned, in the sixth. Facing new Tiger pitcher Blakely Thrower, sophomore Megan Good drew her third walk of the game to load the bases with no outs. Ford came to bat and saw four straight balls, all but ending the contest.
Notes: In 2015, JMU earned an at-large berth into the field and hosted a Regional for the first time ever. This year, 16 teams will be seeded from the field, with each seed placed at one regional site. The dates for the Regionals are May 20-22. JMU senior catcher Erica Field was named to the All-Tournament team and finished Friday with two walks, two runs and one hit. Towson’s Hickman, along with sophomores Kendyl Scott and Brook Miko, were named to the All-Tournament team.
2016 CAA Softball Championship
(Veterans Memorial Park | Harrisonburg, Va.)
Tuesday, May 10
Game 1:
#5 Delaware 8, #4 Elon 2
Wednesday, May 11
Game 2:
#2 Towson 7, #3 College of Charleston 3
Game 3:
#1 James Madison 2, #5 Delaware 0
Game 4:
#3 College of Charleston 3, #4 Elon 2 (F/13)
Thursday, May 12
Game 5:
#1 James Madison 14, #2 Towson 2 (F/5)
Game 6:
#3 College of Charleston 6, #5 Delaware 4
Friday, May 13
Game 7:
#2 Towson 12, #3 College of Charleston 1 (F/5)
Game 8:
#1 James Madison 8, #2 Towson 0 (F/6)
| 2016 All-CAA Tournament Team |
| Erica Field |
Catcher |
James Madison |
| Jailyn Ford* |
Pitcher/Utility |
James Madison |
| Sara Garcia |
Catcher/Outfielder |
College of Charleston |
| Hannah George |
Outfielder |
Delaware |
| Megan Good |
Pitcher/Infielder |
James Madison |
| Ambar Hickman |
Pitcher |
Towson |
| Rebecca Mueller |
Outfielder |
College of Charleston |
| Brook Miko |
Infielder |
Towson |
| Taylor Newton |
Outfielder |
James Madison |
| Kiandra Mitchum |
Pitcher/Utility |
Elon |
| Kendyl Scott |
Outfielder |
Towson |
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| * = Most Outstanding Player |