Spiders Power Past JMU, 17-5, To Sweep Season Series

Tuesday, May 10

Harrisonburg, Va.

7:00 PM

University of Richmond

26-20

James Madison

18-27

Richmond

James Madison

05/11/2016 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Richmond Athletics

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Even the cool mountain rain couldn't cool down the bats of the University of Richmond baseball team on Tuesday evening as the Spiders powered past JMU, 17-5, to sweep the series with their in-state rivals.

The 17 runs by Richmond is the highest scoring output of the season for the Spiders, who combined to outscore JMU 25-6 in the two games this spring.

Four different players had multi-hit performance, led by senior Tyler Beckwith who finished with a career-high five hits, two runs scored and two RBIs. Kurtis Brown had four hits, three runs scored and two RBIs, while Michael Morman and Kyle Adams each had multi-performances of their own.

“These midweek games are important to get our guys good reps in and build some confidence going into a crucial conference series this weekend,” Head Coach Tracy Woodson said. “We got a lot of contributions from a lot of different guys in the lineup tonight. It was good to see our guys come out aggressive and really pound the ball.”

Zach Moore earned the win out of the bullpen for the Spiders, hurling three-plus innings of scoreless relief to pick up his first career win. Moore, Matt Olson and Daniel Brumbaugh combined to allow just three baserunners over the final six innings of play.

“Zach was big for us tonight. These midweek games always test your pitching depth and he came in and gave us a big lift,” Woodson added.

Back-to-back doubles from Adams and Morman drove in a pair of runs as the Spiders grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second. The Dukes responded in the home half of the inning as their outburst pushed across five runs and gave JMU a 5-2 lead.

Richmond began to chip away at the deficit in the fourth. D.J. Lee led off the inning with a walk before Adams hit his second double of the game. Morman delivered a single to left center, driving in Lee before Brown grounded into a double play allowing Adams to cross the plate, putting the Spiders within one, 5-4.

Brandon Johnson crushed the ball over the left field wall in the fifth, as the Spiders regained their lead, 7-5, behind his three-run homer. Brown extended Richmond's lead, 8-5 with his solo shot in the sixth.

The Spiders continued their offensive outburst with six runs in the seventh, capped by a Beckwith triple and a Jansen Fraser sacrifice fly. With his triple tonight, Beckwith is now tied for eighth all-time with nine career triples.

Richmond's bats would continue to stay hot following the short weather delay as Doug Kraeger blasted a three-run homer in the eighth, putting the Spiders ahead, 17-5.

Rain would come down in the ninth and force the two teams to call it an inning early as the Spiders completed the season sweep with the 17-5 win.

Richmond will close out the 2016 home slate at Pitt Field tomorrow (Wednesday, May 11) when Coppin State visits. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. and will be available on the Atlantic 10 Network.