HARRISONBURG, Va., Feb. 25, 2009 — Senior pitcher Justin Wood (Dayton, Va./Turner Ashby)  pitched 7 1/3 strong innings, and the Dukes stole eight bases on their way to a 5-1 victory over the Maryland Terrapins on Wednesday at Long Field/Mauck Stadium.

With the win, JMU improved 3-3, while Maryland fell to 1-4 with the defeat.  After starting the season 0-3, the Dukes have won three straight games to even their record.

Wood (1-1) gave up one run on five hits in his 7 1/3 innings of work to get his first win of the season.  Sophomore pitcher Kevin Munson (Roanoke, Va./Cave Spring) came on in relief to throw 1 2/3 innings of scoreless ball.

On the base path, JMU had eight stolen bases in nine attempts.  Sophomore center fielder Alex Foltz (Mathias, W.Va./East Hardy) led the team with three stolen bases and freshman Ian Haynes (Danville, Va./Tunstall) came on as a pinch runner to add two more.

At the plate, the Dukes scored five runs on nine hits and two Maryland errors.  Sophomore shortstop David Herbek (Haymarket, Va./Battlefield) continued his great start to the season by going 2-for-3 with a run batted in.  Herbek extended his hit streak to 11 games dating back to the 2008 postseason.  Senior catcher Brett Garner (Burke, Va./Lake Braddock) also had two hits, including a double and an RBI.

In the top of the first, Wood got off to a little bit of a rocky start after getting the first two outs.  The Terrapins loaded the bases on a hit-by-pitch, a single, and a walk.  But, Wood settled down and got a fly out to left field to end the threat.

The Dukes would get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first.  Foltz led off with walk, and then stole second base and third base.  Sophomore third baseman McKinnon Langston (Tallahassee, Fla./North Florida Christian) hit a sacrifice fly to left field to drive in Foltz for the first run of the game.

JMU struck for two more runs with two outs in the second.  Garner doubled to left center and scored on a single to center field by junior second baseman Mike Fabiaschi (Torrington, Conn./Torrington).  Then, Fabiaschi stole second, and Herbek drove him home on a single through the left side.

The Dukes would get one more run in the fourth on a throwing error by the Maryland catcher that allowed Haynes to walk home, and another run in the fifth on a Matt Townsend (Lorton, Va./Hayfield) sacrifice fly to right field.

Maryland’s lone run came in the top of the seventh inning when senior center fielder Dan Benick hit a double in the left field gap that allowed junior right fielder A.J. Casario to score from first.

The Terrapins were led at the plate by senior catcher Mike Moss, who was the only Maryland player with multiple hits.

Junior pitcher Brett Harmon took the loss for Maryland.  Harmon (0-2) gave up four runs, three earned, on four hits in four innings on the mound.

JMU will now prepare for a three game home series against Lafeyette College.  Game one is Friday with the first pitch set for 3:00 p.m.