CONWAY, S.C. (JMU Athletics) – With the game tied at two in the fifth inning, James Madison softball surrendered six unanswered runs to fall 8-2 to the Chanticleers in the third game of its three-game set with Coastal Carolina on Sunday afternoon in Sun Belt Conference play at St. John Stadium.

Cali Legzdin started the contest for JMU (23-24, 9-12 SBC) with her fifth home run of the year, a two-run shot to left center field that got out in a hurry, putting the Dukes ahead four batters into the game.

Legzdin finished the day going 3-for-3, complete with a home run, double, and single to pair with her two driven in for her third three-hit game of the 2025 campaign.

Coastal Carolina (36-15, 12-9 SBC) took advantage of the bases loaded twice as the Chanticleers proceeded to take the lead for good on a two-out bases loaded two-run single off the bat of Lucy Goodwin in the bottom of the fifth.

CCU cashed in again with the bases loaded to put up a four-spot in the bottom of the sixth. Five of the eight runs for Coastal Carolina in the ballgame came with two outs in the inning, as the Dukes could not escape the jam.

Payton List and Lexi Rogers were responsible for the other three hits on the afternoon, as List earned her 17th multi-hit game this season.

Rogers’ pinch-hit solo home run in the top of the seventh was her third pinch-hit home run of the season.

Nicolette Picone went the distance as the two-run home run by Legzdin was the only blemish she allowed. The senior allowed two runs on five hits and struck out four to earn her 23rd victory of the season.

Kierstin Roose sparked the Chanticleer offense as she finished Sunday with two doubles, two driven in and two runs scored.

How It Happened

Top of the First Inning
• Legzdin drilled a two-run home run to left center field to lead 2-0 four batters into the game

Bottom of the First
• Libby Pippin led off the game for the Chanticleers with a solo shot to right field, cutting the lead to 2-1
Third Inning
• Maddy Jennings also went deep, this time to left field to knot the game up at two

Fifth Inning
• Lucy Goodwin delivered with the bases loaded and two out with a two-run single to right center to break the 2-2 tie and give the Chanticleers a 4-2 advantage

Sixth Inning
• Kierstin Roose adds to the CCU advantage with a two-run double and make it 6-3
• McKennah Metzger brought the advantage to 8-2 with a single up the middle to score two

Seventh Inning
• Lexi Rogers added a pinch-hit home run to give the Dukes their third run of the day, 8-3

Game Notes
• James Madison drops to 9-5 against the Chanticleers in the all-time series
• With her double on Sunday, Legzdin leads the Dukes with nine doubles on the year
• The Dukes are 8-3 when they hit two or more home runs in a game
• Legzdin tied her career-long hitting streak to four games and earned her fourth multi-RBI game
• Kirsten Fleet needs three more strikeouts for 150 in her career – the most by an active Duke

Up Next
James Madison will host Georgia Southern for the final series of the regular season starting on Thursday, May 1, at 5 p.m.

— JMU Athletics —