HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (JMU Athletics) – A combined 15 runs on 16 hits led to James Madison softball picking up its first two victories of the season with an 8-0 run-rule victory against ETSU and a 7-1 rout of Jax State on day two of action in Huntsville.

Madison Edwards and Cali Legzdin led the offensive charge for JMU (2-6) each with four RBI between the two contests. The Dukes recorded three home runs, including back-to-back shots from Edwards and Jasmine Hall against ETSU (3-7) in game one. The other also came off the bat of Edwards, a three-run blast in the first inning against Jax State (8-4).

Payton List dominated on both sides of the ball, earning the win in the circle against the Bucs. In the five-inning victory, List pitched four innings, allowing just a single while walking one and fanning another. Against the Gamecocks, the redshirt sophomore went 3-for-3 at the dish with two doubles and an RBI single. Overall, List went 5-for-5 with three hits for extra bases within the two Jax State matchups.

The Dukes’ pitching quartet of List, Rebecca Muh, Kirsten Fleet, and Taylor Johnson held the opponents to just one run and four extra-base hits between the two games while striking out seven.

How It Happened
JMU 8, ETSU 0 (Final/5)
Second Inning
• With two runners in scoring position, Emily LeGrand grounded to third base, scoring Edwards for the early 1-0 lead
• The next batter was Legzdin, who singled up the middle to score Reed Butler from third
• Raegan Wall reached on a throwing error by ETSU, which brought Legzdin home from first to score the Dukes’ third run of the inning
Third Inning
• Legzdin stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and two out and delivered a bases-clearing double down the left field line, giving JMU the 6-0 edge
Fourth Inning
• Hall and Edwards hit back-to-back home runs over the left field fence with two outs to put James Madison in run-rule position, 8-0

JMU 7, JSU 1
First Inning
• A List double and a Hall two-out walk set the stage for an Edwards three-run shot to right center, giving the Dukes an early 3-0 lead

Fifth Inning
• Jax State scored its only run on the day, as Morgan Nowakowski doubled to left center scoring Emma Elrod, to cut the JMU lead to 3-1
• In the bottom half of the inning, Abbie Campbell drilled her fourth double of the season to score Wall from second with nobody out to bring the lead back to three.
• List added a single to left field for an RBI to give the Dukes a 5-1 lead on the Gamecocks
• Later in the inning with two runners on and two out, Kylee Gleason delivered a two-run single down the left field line, to complete the four-run fourth inning

Game Notes
• Cali Legzdin’s four RBI performance is the first time a freshman has had four-plus RBI in a single game since Madison Edwards had four against Lehigh on Feb. 18, 2024
• Payton List matched her career high with two doubles in a single game, she last had two doubles against Marshall on April 13, 2024. She is also the last to Duke have two doubles in a game since her performance against Marshall last season.
• LeGrand and Legzdin’s RBI against ETSU are the first of their collegiate careers
• Gleason’s two RBI are her first since playing Virginia on April 18, 2023, and the most since also having two against Coastal Carolina on March 18, 2023
• Before the Dukes’ 8-0 run-rule victory against ETSU, the last time they had achieved this feat was an 11-3 victory versus Marshall on April 14, 2024

— JMU Athletics —