HARRISONBURG, Va. (JMU Athletics) – James Madison was tied through three innings with No. 20 Troy, but a three-run homer from the Trojans in the fourth inning broke it as the Dukes fell, 6-3, on Saturday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Park in Sun Belt Conference baseball.

The Dukes dropped to 12-23 (5-9 SBC), while the Trojans improved to 25-11 (9-5 SBC).

Senior Ryan Dooley has produced back-to-back multi-hit games as he went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Senior Casey Smith started on the mound and went four innings with five strikeouts, surrendering six runs.

How It Happened
First Inning
Troy struck first, using a two-out base hit to drive in the first run of the game.

The Dukes responded with a run of their own to tie it at one. Junior Wyatt Peifer knocked in senior Ryan Dooley on a double after Dooley singled the at bat prior.

Second Inning
A two-run homer from Blake Cavill gave the Trojans their lead back at 3-1.

Junior Jackson Tone cracked his first career home run, taking the first pitch he saw over the right field wall to make it a 3-2 game.

Third Inning
After an error allowed sophomore Kyle Langley to reach to lead the inning off, he managed to advance to third base that set up Dooley to single him in to tie the game at three.

Fourth Inning
Cavill connected for his second homer of the season, breaking the three-all tie with a three-run homer to put Troy back in front 6-3.

Game Notes
• Tyler Muscar pitched a career-high 4.1 innings and struck out a career-high four. He scattered four hits with a walk and did not allow a run.
• Eight of the nine total RBIs were with two outs, including all six of Troy’s.
• With Jackson Tone’s first pitch homer, the Dukes have now hit six homers this season on the first pitch. The last three home runs JMU has hit have been on the first pitch.
• Eleven of the 13 homers by JMU this season have been on evened counts. All 11 have been consecutively.

Up Next
The rubber match of the series is scheduled for 11 a.m. tomorrow, April 13 at Veterans Memorial Park.

— JMU Athletics —