ATLANTA Ga.- James Madison softball split its games with Georgia State Thursday afternoon during a doubleheader. The Dukes lost their first game 4-6, before picking up a 9-0 victory over the Panthers.

JMU advances to 21-11 (6-5) with the win, while Georgia State drops to 14-25 (3-8).

JMU 4, GSU 6
The Dukes late rally wasn’t enough to top the Panthers’ early runs in the day’s opening contest.

Junior Alissa Humphrey got the start in the circle, but her outing ended after seven batters. Freshman Kylah Berry entered the circle in relief for Humphrey in the top of the first inning, tallying one walk, three strikeouts and four hits during 5.2 innings of work.

Freshman Bella Henzler put on an offensive clinic, recording a single, double and a home run in a 3-3 day at the plate.

Sophomore Jasmine Hall and freshman KK Mathis both added two hits and both tallied a home run of their own.

Freshman Kate Carrier also tallied a hit during the contest.

How It Happened
• Hall got things started for the Dukes in the top of the first inning when she homered to left field to give the Dukes a 1-0 advantage.
• Georgia State answered quickly in the bottom of the inning, when they plated four runs from three hits.
• Henzler cut the deficit to two runs in the top of the fourth when she homered to left-center field.
• Georgia State extended their lead by another run in the bottom of the fourth inning.
• In the top of the fifth inning, Mathis mashed a two-run home run to put the Dukes behind by one run.
• The Panthers added their sixth and final run from a single up the middle.

JMU 8, GSU 0
James Madison got off to a quick start and blanked Georgia State in a 9-0 five-inning run-rule victory.

Sophomore Lexi Rogers got her first win of the season and was stellar against the Panthers, yielding no runs, one walk and striking out two.

Junior Hannah Hennessy and freshman KK Mathis led the offense with nearly identical lines at the plate. The pair each tallied two hits, three RBIs and scored a run.

Graduate Hannah Shifflett also picked up two hits and scored once, while graduates Hallie Hall and Avery Pinder, sophomores Jasmine Hall and Kylee Gleason and freshman Bella Henzler all collected a hit apiece.

How It Happened
• The Dukes scored first when KK Mathis doubled down the line with the bases loaded to bring in three runs in the bottom of the third inning.
• Also in the third, Henzler slammed a home run to center field that knocked in two more runs.
• Hennessy closed the scoring in the third inning with a three-run home run to put the Dukes up by eight.
• Abbie Campbell scored the Dukes final run when she came home on a double steal in the top of the fifth inning.

Up Next
The Dukes are set to face Georgia State tomorrow for the series finale. The first pitch has been moved up to an 11 a.m. start with weather permitting.

— JMU Athletics —