James Madison University’s softball team secured two wins on the second day of the Hokie Invite in Salem, Virginia. The Dukes defeated Bryant University 7–6 in eight innings and later won 5–3 against Penn State.
JMU improved its record to 11-10 with these victories. In the first game against Bryant (now 7-10), the Dukes recorded seven runs on ten hits. The contest ended when Kylee Gleason hit a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Against Penn State (18-5), JMU pitcher List threw a complete game, striking out ten batters. Bella Henzler and Kira Ortega each hit home runs, helping lead their team to victory.
Henzler was a key contributor for JMU during both games, going five-for-seven at the plate and hitting three home runs. Over the course of both contests, JMU collected a total of eighteen hits and five home runs.
In their matchup with Bryant, JMU overcame an early deficit after Bryant scored multiple runs in the first two innings through singles and a home run. Henzler responded by hitting back-to-back home runs between the second and third innings to tie the score at 4-4. Bryant briefly regained a two-run lead before List tied it again with a two-run homer in the fifth inning. Gleason then delivered her walk-off single to end the game.
During their win over Penn State, Henzler evened up an early deficit with a solo home run in the second inning after Penn State had scored first with an RBI double. After falling behind again in the third, JMU took control in the fourth thanks to a rally started by List’s single and helped by an error that allowed Emily LeGrand to score. A sacrifice fly brought Henzler home for another run, giving JMU a 3–2 lead. Ortega added another run with her solo homer in the sixth inning, while Henzler drove in one more run with a seventh-inning single. Despite Penn State scoring once more late in the game, JMU held on for victory.
The Dukes are scheduled to finish play at the Hokie Invite on Sunday morning against Radford, with first pitch set for 11 a.m.
