SAN MARCOS, Texas (JMU Athletics) – Junior Lexi Rogers tallied a three-run double as part of a five-run first inning, and James Madison softball advanced to the Quarterfinals of the 2024 Sun Belt Softball Championship with a 6-2 win over ninth-seeded Southern Miss on Wednesday afternoon.

No. 8 JMU (31-21) advances to the Quarterfinals to take on No. 1 seed Louisiana tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET (10 a.m. CT). The Dukes finished with six runs on five hits and an error, while No. 9 Southern Miss (22-29) scored two runs on four hits while also committing an error.

Rogers’ double in the first was her third double of the season, as the junior finished 1-for-3 with three RBI. Hallie Hall picked up two hits and finished 2-for-3, while Madison Edwards recorded her second triple of the season.

Three pitchers combined to hold Southern Miss to two runs and four hits, as Kirsten Fleet (9-5) picked up the win while working 2.2 innings. Alissa Humphrey picked up the 10th save of her career, tying Jenny Clohan for the most in school history, working 2.1 perfect innings which featured two punchouts. Payton List got the start in the circle, grinding through 2.0 innings while fanning three.

How It Happened
• A pair of Southern Miss baserunners reached in the top of the first, but List picked up a strikeout and groundout to get out of the jam and keep the game scoreless through half an inning.
• JMU loaded the bases on a pair of walks and an error before Rogers cleared the bases with her fourth double of the season, giving the Dukes a 3-0 lead.
• Great baserunning from JMU gave the Dukes two more runs in the first. In all, JMU scored five runs on only one hit in the bottom of the first.
• Each team posted scoreless second innings, as List worked around more traffic on the base paths, and the Dukes were retired in order in the bottom half.
• Fleet entered the circle in the third inning, posting a scoreless half while only surrendering a two-out single.
• After Fleet posted another scoreless inning in the fourth, Hallie Hall picked up her second hit of the day in the bottom half. However, the Dukes were unable to bring any more runs across and held a 5-0 lead after four.
• Southern Miss grabbed a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning to cut the JMU lead to 5-2, as Humphrey entered in relief for Fleet.
• The Dukes grabbed a 6-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Abbie Campbell after the leadoff triple from Edwards.

Game Notes
• In its second year in the league, JMU won its first game in the Sun Belt Championship, moving to 1-1 all-time.
• Southern Miss stranded nine baserunners, while the Dukes only left five on base.
• Humphrey tied Jenny Clohan (2006-09) with her 10th career save.

Up Next
The Dukes will face off with No. 1 seed Louisiana tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET (10 a.m. CT) in the Quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Championship. Fans can listen to the game with Dave Riggert on the JMU Radio Network (106.9 FM | 1360 AM) and the Varsity Network App.

— JMU Athletics —