East Carolina University
James Madison
Pirates Drop Two Games to No. 23/24 James Madison
April 15, 2015 | Softball
Box Score Game 1 
| Box Score Game 2
GREENVILLE, N.C. - Sophomore Kacie Oshiro blasted the first home run of her collegiate career accounting for East Carolina's only run of the day as the Pirates fell to No. 23/24 James Madison by scores of 6-1 and 13-0 Wednesday afternoon.
"We faced two outstanding pitchers," Interim head coach Steve Jaecks said. "There were a few times that we didn't make the plays we needed to make and after Kacie Oshiro hit the home run, we just couldn't get going."
East Carolina (11-34) sent senior right-handed pitcher Sarah Christian (5-12) to the circle in game one. The Greenville, N.C., native got off to a rough start as she surrendered two runs on four hits in the first inning as James Madison (34-6) took a quick 2-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the frame, Oshiro belted a one-out solo shot to right field to put the Pirates on the board and cut the Dukes' lead in half, but JMU starting right-hander Megan Good (20-0) retired the next two batters to get out of the inning.
Christian held James Madison scoreless in the second and ECU's junior shortstop Casey Alcorn led off the bottom of the frame with a single up the middle. She moved around the bases but was stranded at third after Good got out of the jam without allowing another run to score. She would not allow another base hit the rest of the game.
James Madison added to its lead in the third after Good led off the inning with a double and scored on a double by Hannah Hayes to put the Dukes up 3-1.
After 4.0 innings of work, Christian left the game having allowed three earned runs on eight hits with three strikeouts. Senior right-handed pitcher Caroline Umphlett came on in relief and kept the Dukes off the scoreboard until the sixth when they added one run followed by two runs in the seventh to make it a 6-1 ballgame.
Umphlett finished the game allowing three earned runs on six hits with two strikeouts in 3.0 innings pitched.
Good earned her 20th win of the year after tossing a complete game and allowing one earned run on two hits with eight strikeouts and two walks.
The Pirates came out in game two and were unable to get their offense going. East Carolina was no-hit for the third time this season as junior left-handed pitcher Jailyn Ford (12-4) tossed a perfect game. The southpaw tallied 13 strikeouts in 7.0 innings of work for her 12th win of the year.
Sophomore righty Lydia Ritchie (0-6) got the starting nod for the Pirates and went 3.0 innings, while surrendering five runs, two of which were earned, on four hits. She struck out a career-high four batters and walked three.
James Madison recorded two runs in the first and added three unearned runs in the second to take a 5-0 lead highlighted by a three-run home run by Good.
Trailing 5-0, freshman Ashley Cruise came in to pitch in the fourth inning and surrendered the sixth run of the contest. Cruise pitched the last 4.0 innings of the game as she allowed eight earned runs on 11 hits, while fanning two. The final runs allowed in the game came in the seventh inning when the Dukes batted around and plated seven runs on eight hits.
Ford retired the Pirates in order in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the perfect game and give James Madison a 13-0 victory.
"The lefty we faced in the second game was really tough," Jaecks said. "We battled, but it just wasn't happening. We'll come out tomorrow for practice and get after it."
East Carolina looks to snap its seven-game losing streak this weekend when it heads to Tampa, Fla., to take on USF on Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19. Saturday's doubleheader begins at 1 p.m., while Sunday's series finale is set to start at 1 p.m. Live stats will be available on ECUPirates.com.
