NEWS RELEASE
April 17, 2024
Phillip Carter, Director of Athletic Communications
carterpa@dukes.jmu.edu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NORFOLK, Va. — Despite a two-run eighth inning rally, the James Madison Dukes rounded out their three-game series against the Old Dominion Monarchs with a 6-3 loss at Bud Metheny Ballpark.
This loss brings the Dukes to 21-14, 7-8 in the Sun Belt conference, while the Old Dominion Monarchs are now 18-17, also 7-8 in the conference. In the second year of the infamous Royal Rivalry Challenge between JMU and ODU, sponsored by TowneBank, James Madison is up 11.5 to Old Dominion’s 6.5 and looks to be on its way to another overall victory despite the loss.
The Monarchs took the lead early, with sophomore Alex Bouche scoring off of an RBI from sophomore Evan Holman. The score would remain 1-0 until the bottom of the third, with junior Luke Waters hitting a two-run home run to push the Monarchs’ lead to 3-0. Another two-run homer from ODU in the bottom of the fifth inning would extend their lead to five.
James Madison would not respond until the top of the eighth inning, bringing the score to 6-2 after another two-run homer, this time from the Dukes’ Fenwick Trimble. Following a strikeout, junior Calabrese Coleman would step up to the plate to hit a solo home run to cut the Monarchs’ lead in half. This would be the end of all scoring for the night, with ODU coming out on top by a score of 6-3.
Up next, the Virginia Military Institute Keydets will host the Dukes on April 17 at 6 p.m. at Gray-Minor Stadium in Lexington, Va.
About the JMU Dukes
The Dukes are the official baseball team of James Madison University, located in Harrisonburg, VA. Led by head coach Marlin Ikenberry, the Dukes play all home games at Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park in their second season as a member of the NCAA Division-I Sun Belt conference. For more information, visit: www.jmusports.com/sports/baseball