LYNCHBURG, Va., Apr. 9, 2013 – James Madison matched a season-high with four errors, including two in the bottom of the 10th, as Liberty pulled out a 12-11 non-conference baseball victory in extra innings on a controversial bases-loaded hit by pitch on Tuesday night at the Liberty Baseball Stadium.

 LU, which never led until the game’s final play, improved to 18-15 after entering the game having lost eight of its last 10 games, including a 21-4 setback in Harrisonburg on March 27. JMU fell to 14-17 with its eighth loss in a row.

 Madison led 6-0 in the early stages of the game and still sat in front 9-4 when the Flames put up a four spot in the fifth. The Dukes tacked on a run in the sixth but Liberty rallied with one in the eighth followed by a tying run in the ninth, which scored unearned as the leadoff batter reached via a throwing error.

 The Dukes reclaimed the lead in the 10th. After loading the bases with one out on a pair of walks and a single, freshman catcher Bobby San Martin (Fairfax, Va./Centreville) lifted a sacrifice fly to right for the 11-10 lead. JMU had a chance for more with a runner advancing to third on the play but a strikeout ended the frame.

 Liberty again put a leadoff runner on in unconventional fashion in the 10th, this time when a JMU fielder lost a fly ball in the lights for a double. A single with a misplay in center field allowed the run to score on the next batter. A throwing error then allowed the third batter to reach, and an intentional walk loaded the bases with no outs.

 Freshman pitcher Mark Gunst (Fairfax, Va./Paul VI) drew a flyout and lineout to retire the next two batters. However, the umpire ruled that the next offering bounced and barely brushed against Nick Paxton’s leg for the game-winning hit by pitch via an unearned run.

 Gunst (1-1) took the loss after allowing two runs, one earned on two hits in the 10th. Ashton Perritt improved to 2-0 for Liberty after allowing the one run on a hit and two walks in the 10th.

 Designated hitter Danny Grauer was 4-for-6 with a double, two home runs and four RBIs to pace the Liberty offense. Catcher Trey Wimmer was also 4-for-6 with two doubles. Center fielder Ryan Cordell also homered as part of LU’s 18-hit attack.

 Junior second baseman Conner Brown (Richmond, Va./Godwin) stayed hot at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a triple, two runs, two RBIs and two walks. Redshirt junior first baseman Matt Tenaglia (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East) broke out of a slump with a pair of hits and four RBIs, including three on a double, along with a walk. Senior left fielder Colby Roberts (Benton, Ark./Benton) was 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored.

HARRISONBURG, Va., April 10, 2013 -- Freshman pitcher Jailyn Ford (Hot Springs, Va./Bath County) scored on a throwing error in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the James Madison softball team a walk-off win over Virginia Tech at Veterans Memorial Park on Wednesday. The Dukes split the non-conference doubleheader with the Hokies, losing game one 5-2 before rebounding with a 2-1 win in game two.

 JMU has won four of its last five games to improve to 28-10 overall. Virginia Tech, which was receiving votes in both Division I Coaches Polls, ran its record to 24-10.

 Ford ignited the heroics in the bottom of the seventh of game two by beating out an infield single to lead off the frame. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt before senior designated player Megan Shinaberry (Davie, Fla./McCarthy) grounded out to third base. Ford took third on the throw to first and came in to score when the attempt to throw her out at third went wild.

 Ford earned the win in the circle for Madison, improving to 15-2 and establishing a JMU freshman record for wins in a season. She limited Tech to one run on five hits and three walks while striking out seven in a complete-game effort.

 Jasmin Harrell took the loss to drop to 10-6 for the Hokies. She allowed two unearned runs on four hits. The right-hander struck out five and did not walk a batter.

 Ford collected two of the four Madison hits to spark the offense. She went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Junior shortstop Caitlin Sandy (Fayetteville, N.C./Jack Britt) contributed a hit and a sacrifice bunt in three trips to the plate while senior third baseman Haley Johnson (Ashburn, Va./Broad Run) went 1-for-2 with a single.

 Five players recorded hits for Virginia Tech led by designated player Logan Spaw who went 1-for-3 with a RBI. First baseman Courtney Liddle was 1-for-2 with a walk and third baseman Dani Anderson added a hit and a walk in three plate appearances.

 The Dukes took the lead in the bottom of the first by capitalizing on two VT errors. Senior center fielder Jasmine Butler (Winter Garden, Fla./West Orange) started the frame by reaching on an error by the second baseman. She stole second and moved to third on the Hokie’s second fielding error of the inning. In the ensuing at bat, sophomore right fielder Sarah Mooney (Huntersville, N.C./North Mecklenburg) faked like she was stealing second, drawing a throw from the catcher that allowed Butler to swipe home.

 The Hokies tied the score with a two-out single by Spaw in the top of the sixth. Center fielder Lauren Gaskill drew a one-out walk to start the rally. A fielder’s choice retired Gaskill at second, but a single by Liddle prolonged the inning. Spaw came through with the big hit for Tech, lofting a single into the space between the second baseman and right-fielder, allowing second baseman Kylie McGoldrick to race home with the tying run. The Hokies drew one more walk in the inning to load up the bases, but Ford got pinch hitter Kelly Heinz to foul out to end the threat.

 Heinz earned the win for VT in game one as she went the distance to improve to 12-3. She allowed two runs on seven hits in seven innings of work. The right-hander struck out 11 and did not walk a batter.

 Sophomore right-hander Heather Kiefer (Potomac Falls, Va./Potomac Falls) took the loss for Madison, dropping to 9-5. She allowed five unearned runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Sophomore Miranda Kemp (Haymarket, Va./Battlefield) pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, limiting Tech to just two hits.

 Anderson paced the Hokie attack in the game, going 3-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Spaw added a double and three RBIs in four at bats while McGoldrick went 2-for-4 with a RBI.

 Sandy went 2-for-3 with a double to lead JMU. Left fielder Morgan Heath (Yorktown, Va./Grafton) added a single, a run and a stolen base while freshman second baseman Hannah Hayes (LaCrosse, Va./Kenston Forest) went 1-for-2 with a RBI.

 Madison jumped ahead in the game in the bottom of the fourth inning on a RBI double by Field. Heath led off the inning with a single to center. She stole second and came around to score as Field lined the first pitch of her at-bat into right-center for a double.

 The Hokies came back to take the lead with five runs in the top of the fifth. All five runs were unearned as VT took advantage of three JMU fielding errors. Anderson started the rally with a one-out double to right-center and moved to third on a ground-out. Kiefer had a chance to get out of the inning by inducing a ground ball, but the Dukes misplayed the ball for an error allowing the first run of the inning to score. Gaskill followed with a single up the middle before McGoldrick plated the go-ahead run with a single to make it 2-1. A walk by first baseman Courtney Liddle loaded the bases to set up a three-run double to center by Spaw.

A two-out bunt single by Hayes allowed JMU to cut into the lead with a run in the bottom of the fifth, but the Dukes got no closer as the Hokies held on for the 5-2 win.

RICHMOND, Va., April 11, 2013 – James Madison senior diver Kimberly Helfrich (Fort Belvoir, Va./West Springfield) was voted the Colonial Athletic Association Diver of the Year by the league’s head coaches on Thursday. The honor highlighted a sweep for the JMU diving program as freshman Carly Alexander (Plantation, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) claimed CAA Rookie Diver of the Year honors and head coach Becky Benson garnered Diving Coach of the Year accolades.

 Towson’s Kaitlin Burke was voted the CAA Swimmer of the Year. Her teammate Hannah Snyder shared Rookie Swimmer of the Year honors with UNCW’s Jenson Engen while Towson’s Pat Mead was selected as the Swimming Coach of the Year for the sixth time.

 Helfrich received CAA Diver of the Year honors for the second time in the past three seasons. The senior was honored as the Outstanding Diver of the Meet at the 2013 CAA Championships. She won the 1-meter competition with 299.85 points and also claimed gold on the 3-meter board with 327.00 points. At the NCAA Zone A Diving Championship, Helfrich finished fifth in the 3-meter competition with 590.35 points. Helfrich, who also earned the award in 2011, is one of only three JMU athletes to be named Diver of the Year, joining Amanda Kuehl (1996) and Nicole Jotso (2012).

 Alexander finished fourth in both diving events at the 2013 CAA Championships. The freshman compiled a score of 251.50 in the 1-meter competition and had a score of 256.20 in the 3-meter competition. She is the third JMU athlete to earn Rookie Diver of the Year honors in the past four years, joining Helfrich (2010) and sophomore Alex Savage (Carrolton, Texas/Lewisville Hebron) (2012).

 Benson was named CAA Diving Coach of the Year for the fourth year in a row after the Dukes had three divers place among the top-four finishers on both boards at the conference championship.

 In addition to the 2013 major award winners in women’s swimming and diving, the following individuals and relay teams received All-CAA accolades based on their performances at the CAA Championships. JMU collected 17 individual All-CAA accolades and five relay honors.

SWIMMING AND DIVING ALL-CAA

200-yard Freestyle – Anna Susko

100-yard Butterfly – Andrea Criscuolo

200-yard Butterfly – Andrea Criscuolo

100-yard Breaststroke – Sin Hye Won; Shannon Dubay

200-yard Breaststroke – Kelsey Holmgaard; Sin Hye Won; Shannon Dubay

100-yard Backstroke – Andrea Criscuolo

200-yard Backstroke – Anna Susko

200-yard Individual Medley – Kelsey Holmgaard; Shannon Dubay

400-yard Individual Medley – Kelsey Holmgaard

1-meter Dive – Kimberly Helfrich; Alex Savage

3- meter Dive – Kimberly Helrfich; Alex Savage

200-yard Freestyle Relay – Susanne Gingher, Kelsey Holmgaard, Caroline Burns, Andrea Criscuolo

400-yard Freestyle Relay – Kelsey Holmgaard, Susanne Gingher, Carli Molano, Andrea Criscuolo

800-yard Freestyle Relay – Kelsey Holmgaard, Anna Susko, Morgan Johnson, Aimee Hooper

200-yard Medley Relay – Caroline Burns, Sin Hye Won, Andrea Criscuolo, Susanne Gingher

400-yard Medley Relay – Caroline Burns, Sin Hye Won, Andrea Criscuolo, Susanne Gingher

WILLIAMSBURG, Va., Apr. 12, 2013 – Second baseman Ryan Lindemuth and shortstop Ryan Williams turned in RBI singles in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, to lift William and Mary to a 5-3 triumph over James Madison in the opener of a Colonial Athletic Association baseball series on Friday night at Plumeri Park.

W&M improved to 23-13 overall and 7-3 in the CAA. JMU dropped its ninth straight game overall to fall to 14-18 and lost its seventh straight CAA game to fall to 6-9 in league play.

Brett Koehler scattered 10 hits over seven innings to earn the win and improve to 4-3. He allowed three runs and struck out three. Matt Wainman worked the final two frames to post his second save. Chris Huffman took the loss for JMU after surrendering four runs, three earned, on seven hits in six innings.

Right fielder Derek Lowe was 3-for-4 with a run scored for the Tribe. Catcher Ryan Hissey was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Williams singled, drove in a row and drew two of W&M’s three walks. First baseman Jackson Shaver had the lone Tribe extra-base hit with a two-run double.

Senior designated hitter Cole McInturff (Centreville, Va./Westfield) was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI while fellow senior shortstop Casey Goss (Springfield, Mo./Glenville) also had three hits with a run scored. Both players doubled for JMU. Junior second baseman Conner Brown (Richmond, Va./Godwin) was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a walk.

The Dukes led the Tribe in hits 11-8 but had free bases factor significantly into four of the five runs scored by W&M. William and Mary jumped on top with two runs in the second with a walk followed by a Hissey single before Shaver’s two-run double.

JMU fought back to take the lead in the fifth as senior outfielder Colby Roberts (Benton, Ark./Benton) led off with a single and came around one batter later as McInturff doubled to the corner in left field. After being sacrificed to third, McInturff scored on a RBI groundout by senior center fielder Johnny Bladel (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge), who had his 27-game streak of reaching base snapped with a 0-for-5 night. Goss kept things going with an infield single and stole second before scoring on Brown’s RBI shot up the middle for a 3-2 lead.

W&M bounced back to tie the game in the fifth as Lindemuth reached on a one-out error and was pushed into scoring position by a hit batter. He scored on Hissey’s RBI single to right field for the unearned run.

After JMU put runners on the corners with no outs in the sixth and couldn’t convert, W&M took the lead in the bottom of the frame. Lowe singled with one out and again the Tribe had the lead runner pushed into scoring position by a hit batter. With two outs, Lindemuth singled through the right side for the go-ahead run.

A Tribe insurance run also scored unearned in the seventh. A misplay at shortstop and ensuing throwaway put a runner at second with two errors. A groundout advanced designated hitter Charlie Gould to third with two outs, and he scored on Williams’ single through the right side.

JMU stranded runners at first and second in the eighth before going down in order in the ninth.