Jonesboro, AR – Contributed – Arkansas State (17-8, 4-3 SBC) scored all 11 runs off homers to surge late against James Madison (11-13, 3-4 SBC) in the 11-9 Friday night victory at Tomlinson Stadium-Slayton Family Field.
James Madison jumped early with back-to-back hits to lead off the game, one run scoring, then a pass ball allowing a second run to plate. The Dukes added another pair of runs in the second inning with an RBI-double and a single that scored another after moving the runner to third. A-State cut the lead in half with a two-RBI Derek Martinez opposite-field home run in the bottom of the frame.
JMU got the two runs back in the top of the third with a home run of their own and a 6-2 lead after three innings.
The Dukes extended their lead to six in the top of the fifth inning. One run scored with a fielding error, and the other crossed the plate off a double-steal play to establish the 8-2 JMU lead. A-State responded in the bottom of the frame with a pair of walks to set up a three-run shot into the home bullpen from the bat of Cason Campbell for the 8-5 score. A passed ball let another Duke score but A-State was undeterred.
Campbell led off the seventh inning with a single into center field. Aidan Houseworth followed him up with a screamer out to right field to plate the both of them to bring the score to 9-7 in favor of the road team.
JMU went down in order in the eighth with Kole Turner tossing the last three outs of his 1.2 innings, and A-State carried the momentum into the bottom of the inning. Raul Torres worked a one-out walk, and Jake Henry Williams, subbed into left field, rocked the fourth homer of the game to knot the score at nine runs apiece. Campbell strung out a tightrope down the right field line to land on second, and Martinez sent Campbell home with his second homer of the night out of left-center for the two run lead.
Ryan Ashford entered to record the first two outs of the ninth, and Cooper Garrison handled the final out with a grounder to shortstop.
Win: Kole Turner (1-0)
Loss: Luke McGrath (1-1)
Save: Cooper Garrison (4)
UP NEXT
A-State will host James Madison for game two of the weekend series on Saturday, March 28, with first pitch set for 6 p.m.
