STATESBORO, Ga. (JMU Athletics) – James Madison junior Max Kuhle tossed the first nine-inning complete game in five years, and the bats erupted for 11 runs as the Dukes took down Georgia Southern, 11-1, in the series opener at J.I. Clements Stadium in Friday night Sun Belt Conference baseball.

The Dukes snapped a five-game skid, improving to 14-32 (7-15 SBC), while the Eagles dropped to 24-22 (10-12 SBC).

Freshman Jack Anderson had a career day at the plate to lead the Dukes. He went 4-for-4 to set a new career-high, adding a double, a homer, a walk, a career-high three runs scored and a career-high-tying three RBIs. Junior Max Kuhle (2-4) tossed his first career complete game, going a career-high nine innings with seven strikeouts while scattering three hits. It is the first nine-inning complete game for the Dukes since Justin Showalter tossed a one-hitter against Quinnipiac on Feb. 22, 2020.

How It Happened
First Inning
After sophomore Kyle Langley led off the game with a double, junior Wyatt Peifer plated the first run of the game with a single to give JMU a 1-0 lead.

Fourth Inning
Anderson added a pair of runs to the lead, following classmate Reece Moody’s single with a long ball over the left field wall. Anderson’s second homer of the year made it 3-0 for the Dukes.

Fifth Inning
JMU scored four runs to take a commanding 7-0 lead, loading the bases three batters into the inning. Moody knocked in a run on a sacrifice fly before Anderson tied his career-high in RBIs of three with a bunt single. Two batters later, junior Maddux Fleck singled in a run with a second run scoring on a fielding error in the outfield.

Sixth Inning
The Eagles got their first run on the board on a groundout after a one-out triple, making the score 7-1.

Eighth Inning
Dooley made it a 10-1 lead for the Dukes, smacking a three-run homer over the 24-foot-high right field wall.

Ninth Inning
The Dukes made it a 10-run lead as Fleck drove in a run to make the score 11-1 on a sacrifice fly.

Game Notes
• The Dukes led off the first five innings with base hits. Doubles were hit in the first and second innings with singles recorded in the third to fifth innings.
• Ryan Dooley’s homer in the eighth inning was JMU’s first three-run homer of the season.
• For the fifth time this season, the Dukes scored in double-digits.
• Five Dukes connected for multiple hits while Jack Anderson and Ryan Dooley both knocked in three runs.
• The 10-run win is JMU’s largest margin of win since knocking off Old Dominion 15-5 in last season’s Sun Belt tournament and its largest margin of win in the regular season since taking down Richmond 14-4 last year.
• Max Kuhle became the first JMU pitcher to toss a nine-inning complete game in a conference game since April 24, 2015 when Aaron Hoover faced off against Towson.
• The Dukes have their first road nine-inning complete game since Aaron Hoover tossed a complete game at Towson on April 26, 2014.

Up Next
JMU and GS meet in the game two of the series Saturday with a scheduled 2 p.m. first pitch.

— JMU Athletics —