HARRISONBURG, Va. (JMU Athletics) – James Madison softball (7-6) opened its tenure during the Lakeside Book Company Invitational with an offensive clinic, overwhelming Buffalo (5-12) 11-2 in just five innings at Veterans Memorial Park Friday afternoon.

Junior Kendra Lewis led the Dukes at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a pair of homers and four RBI. She is now tied for the team lead with three homers this season.

In the circle, sophomore Taylor Johnson set career high marks in innings pitched (five) and strikeouts (seven) while scattering just two hits in a complete-game effort.

How It Happened

2nd Inning:
• Buffalo took the first lead of the game on an RBI triple.
• The Dukes answered immediately with a lead-off homer off the bat of Bella Henzler the first of three homers in the inning.
• Three batters later, Lewis connected on a two-run homer before sophomore Cali Legzdin hit a solo shot two batters later for a 4-1 lead.

4th Inning:
• Lewis hit her second home run of the game, her second career multi-homer game, to extend the lead to five runs.
• The Dukes took an 8-1 lead, as graduate Kylie Gleason singled Legzdins home and then scored herself on a double off the bat of junior Madison Edwards.

5th Inning:
• The Bulls stopped the scoring run by scoring an unearned run on a bases-loaded walk.
• After the Dukes loaded the bases themselves in the home half of the inning, Legzdin sent the Dukes home victors with a bases-clearing double to make the score 11-2.

Key Highlights:
• This is the third game this season where multiple Dukes have homered and the second game where a Duke has hit two home runs.

Up Next:
The Lakeside Book Company Invitational will continue for the Dukes tomorrow, Feb. 28 as they take on Hofstra and Buffalo in a double feature. First pitch against Hofstra is slated for 1:30 p.m. with the game against Buffalo scheduled for 4 p.m.

— JMU Athletics —