Softball Battles, But Falls In Waco Regional Final

What a program!

There’s no easy way to say this, but the JMU Softball team met a cruel ending to another impressive season. They fell 1-0 to an on-fire pitcher from Baylor who threw here second no hitter of the Waco Regional on Sunday. The Dukes beat Oregon St. 3-2 with a great comeback Friday evening and then fell to Baylor 4-2 in a game they led most of the way early Saturday. That night the bats finally woke up and the Dukes eliminated Kent St. 4-0 to set up a rematch (or two) with Baylor on Sunday. And Sunday’s game was a tough way to go.

The Bears scored the game’s only run with a runner scrambling home on a wild pitch on a pitch that was really a pitch-out. Baylor’s Gia Rodoni, who had no-hit Kent St. on Friday, did it again to the Dukes on Sunday though not without late-inning fight and drama from the Dukes as we always expect. After Megan Good was hit by a pitch with one out in the bottom of the event (JMU was the home team in what would’ve been game 1 of 2 had the Dukes won), senior Taylor Newton drove a long fly ball to left that had us jumping off the couch thinking the Dukes might’ve walked off, but Bears’ CF and Big 12 defensive player of the year Jessie Scroggins made an unbelievable catch at the wall to essentially end the Dukes season.

It sucked. And yes, the Dukes should’ve hosted a regional (yes, the CAA and its relative lack of competition is a killer, but for the record their is no realistic conference for JMU that would be better in this sport). But there is absolutely NOTHING for this incredible team and program to hang their heads about. First a HUGE thank you to seniors Niki Prince, Taylor Newton, Madison Moran, Tahli Moore, Mimi Morris, and Casie Hill who have been around to elevate the program from pretty good to serious national contender. These players have been incredible in the way they’ve played on the field, but just as much in the way they’ve represented JMU throughout their tenure.

Also a quick note on Megan Good. She might not have had her all-world best but she battled her ass off and there’s no doubt she has joined Dawn Evans and Rodney Landers on our personal Mt. Rushmore of Dukes. This team just needs to get her some more help on offense and not leave all the pressure on her shoulders. We’re also hopeful Odicci “CC” Alexander or some unknown freshman phenom can give her a wing-woman like she used to have in Jailyn Ford.

And finally, as tough as this weekend was to take, let’s all remember that Ms. Good is back for her senior year and that four freshmen played huge roles on this team, meaning there’s nothing in the world wrong with being excited already about next February when Coach Dean and company crank it up for what we believe will be a run to Oklahoma City. Well done ladies!

And with that, the 2016-17 year of JMU Athletics comes to a close. We can’t say we won’t be a little more intermittent than usual over the summer silly season, but we’ve got some ideas for JMUSB to keep your appetites whetted until Labor Day Weekend when the Dukes destroy another purple FBS team in EZU (hopefully with all coaching attire featuring the new JMU logo/font). Go Dukes!