Posted on April 2, 2007
After missing out on the Colonial Athletic Association tournament last season, the conference didn’t exactly favor the JMU softball team when it came to scheduling.
The Dukes faced the five-time defending champions in the Hofstra Pride in their first CAA series going 1-2, only to have to play last year’s runner-up, the Georgia State Panthers, this past weekend.
On Saturday in Madison’s first game of their double-header against the Panthers, both strong pitching and timely hitting led to a 2-1 win.
Junior pitcher Jenny Clohan pitched the complete game giving up one run on seven hits with four strikeouts. The bats got behind her in the bottom of the third inning, when freshman second baseman Brittany Lyddane smacked a triple to right-center field.
Junior first baseman Jennifer Chavez followed with a single to center field to drive Lyddane home and give JMU a 1-0 lead.
“The team came out ready to play and got the win,” Chavez said.
Georgia State responded in the top half of the fourth inning with a run of its own. On a 3-2 pitch to Panther freshman Danielle Roddy, Clohan’s pitch got past sophomore catcher Julia Dominguez, which scored sophomore Jackie Jaegle from third for the Panthers only run of the ball game.
The Dukes bounced back in the bottom half of the fourth with their second run. After a would-be single to left field by freshman outfielder Courtney Simons, the Panthers outfielder freshman Nikki Bradford missed the ball allowing Simons to reach second base. The Dukes took advantage as the next batter Kaitlyn Wernsing stepped up and drove in Simons on a single up the middle.
These two runs would prove to be enough for Clohan, who allowed just seven hits in her complete game win.
“Communication with [Dominguez] was key, along with hitting the corners and throwing strikes,” said Clohan.
Head Coach Katie Flynn was also pleased with the pitching performance by her young hurler.
“Jenny was just phenomenal. She was a huge factor in our win today,” coach Katie Flynn said.
Beating the Panthers on Saturday was no small task as Georgia State entered the game with a 3-0, conference record, and according Flynn, was one win short of the CAA title last year.
Coach Flynn was pleased with the girls’ effort and looked forward to continued good play.
It was not to be in the day-cap of the double-header though as Georgia State junior pitcher Ashley Cowan shut the Dukes out, allowing just four hits, as the Panthers won 4-0. The Dukes also struggled in the field committing two errors in the loss.
In the series’ rubber match held Sunday, JMU prevailed in another low scoring battle, beating the Panthers 2-0. JMU’s Clohan pitched five scoreless innings before being relieved by sophomore Meredith Felts. Felts gave up no hits to gain the win.
Clohan got it done with her bat too after switching to right field. In the bottom of the sixth with two runners in scoring position, the starting pitcher roped one down the right field line for two RBIs and a triple. The two runs were all the Dukes would need as they blanked the Panthers in the seventh
JMU faces Liberty at home Wednesday in a double-header and return to CAA play Satuday and Sunday in Fairfax for a three-game series against George Mason.
