HARRISONBURG, Va., March 18, 2010 - The James Madison softball team continues its seven-game home stand this weekend as it hosts the JMU/Days Inn Invitational at Veterans Memorial Park this weekend.  The Dukes welcome in Pittsburgh, Fordham and Winthrop for the 3-day, 10-game event.

The Dukes are coming off a record setting opening day at their brand-new park, splitting a doubleheader with Longwood on Wednesday.  Madison picked up a 9-8 come-from-behind win in game one before dropping game two 16-14.

The 30 combined runs was the highest scoring total for a JMU game in its nine-year history, breaking the mark of 21 runs scored in an 11-10 loss to Coastal Carolina on March 11, 2007.

Head coach Katie Flynn recorded her 400th career win in the first game against the Lancers.  The only coach in school history, Flynn has a career mark of 400-381 and is 240-207 at JMU.

Sophomore Casey Mansfield (Suffolk, Va./Isle of Wight) led the Madison offense on Wednesday, going 3-for-6 with a home run, a double, two runs scored and seven RBI.  Her six RBI in game two set a new JMU record for RBI in a game.  This season the Suffolk, Va.-native is hitting .333 (11-for-33) with four doubles, a home run and a team-high 15 runs batted in.

Senior first baseman Shannon Moxey (Church Road, Va./Mills Godwin) leads the team with a .365 batting average and 15 runs scored.  Freshman outfielder Jasmine Butler (Winter Garden, Fla./West Orange) set a new school record for runs in a game with four in the second game against Longwood.

THE OPPONENTS

Fordham

The Rams are 15-5 this season and are coming off a pair of shutouts against Seton Hall on Wednesday.

Utility player Erin Fisher leads the offense in most offensive categories, including runs (15), home runs (six), RBI (15) and walks (nine).  The senior is hitting .364 (20-for-55) and has added two doubles and a triple.  Catcher Samantha Pellechio leads the team with a .417 batting average.

In the circle, right-hander Jen Mineau is 12-2 with a 0.71 ERA.  She has given up 38 hits, 13 runs, nine earned runs, 11 walks and struck out 161 in 89 innings pitched.

Pittsburgh

The Panthers are 8-9 this season after going 2-2 at last week's USF Under Armour Showcase.

Outfielder Ashley Amistade has a team-high .333 (18-for-54) batting average and is second on the team with nine runs scored.  Catcher Holly Stevens leads the team in home runs (three) and RBI (10).

Right-hander Cory Berliner does a majority of the work in circle, going 4-3 with a 1.59 ERA.  The junior has given up 56 hits, 21 runs, 13 earned runs, 14 walks and struck out 30 in 57 1/3 innings pitched.

Winthrop

The Eagles are 12-6 after going 2-1 at their home tournament last weekend.

Infielder Pearl Coleshill leads the team in batting average (.411), hits (23), runs (12), doubles (four) and is fourth with nine RBI.  Pitcher/Outfielder Ashleigh Jackson has a team-best three home runs and 12 RBI.

Right-hander Cari Wooldridge is 6-5 with a 1.80 ERA.  Senior Megan Evans is 5-1 with a 1.97 ERA.

SERIES HISTORY

JMU has a 6-5 record against teams in this weekend's tournament.  The Dukes are 3-3 against Fordham and 3-2 against Pittsburgh, including a 3-0 win earlier this season.

JMU has played five of the 11 games against this weekend's opponents at home, going 2-3 in those games.

The Dukes have never faced Winthrop.

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