James Madison Beats Louisiana-Lafayette 5-1 in Tense Matchup

Dukes get strong pitching and timely hitting, but game marred by two ejections

Apr. 6, 2026 at 5:06pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting in bold colors depicting a baseball game, with overlapping planes and shapes representing the intensity and drama of the matchup.The tense, emotional matchup between James Madison and Louisiana-Lafayette is captured in a cubist, deconstructed illustration.University of Virginia Today

James Madison University's baseball team defeated their conference rival Louisiana-Lafayette 5-1 on Saturday in a game that featured two player ejections. The Dukes got great pitching and timely hitting, including a key 8th inning double by Connor Worth that expanded their lead to 5-1. The game was tense, with an on-field incident leading to the ejections of a Louisiana-Lafayette player and their head coach.

Why it matters

This was an important conference matchup between two top teams, with the Dukes taking the rubber game of the series. The ejections added an emotional element to the game, reflecting the intensity of the rivalry between the two programs. The win helps boost James Madison's season record as they prepare to face in-state rival University of Virginia.

The details

In the first inning, James Madison scored three runs to take an early lead. Reece Moody, Kyle Langley, and Clay Thompson all scored in the opening frame. Louisiana-Lafayette got on the board in the third with a sacrifice fly by Lee Amedee. But the game took a tense turn in the middle innings when a Louisiana-Lafayette player bunted and elbowed the first baseman as he ran by. This led to the ejection of the batter, and then the Louisiana-Lafayette head coach was also ejected for arguing with the James Madison bench. The game was delayed for 20 minutes as the incidents were reviewed. In the 8th inning, Connor Worth's double scored two more runs for the Dukes, expanding their lead to 5-1, which held up as the final score.

  • In the first inning, James Madison scored three runs to take an early lead.
  • In the third inning, Louisiana-Lafayette scored its lone run when Lee Amedee hit a sacrifice fly.
  • In the middle of the game, the on-field incident and ejections occurred, delaying the game for 20 minutes.
  • In the 8th inning, Connor Worth's double scored two insurance runs for James Madison.

The players

Reece Moody

A player for James Madison who scored two runs and had one hit in the game.

Lee Amedee

A player for Louisiana-Lafayette who hit a sacrifice fly to score their lone run.

Connor Worth

A player for James Madison who hit a key double in the 8th inning to expand their lead to 5-1.

Ty Roman

The starting pitcher for Louisiana-Lafayette, who pitched six strong innings despite the loss.

Louisiana-Lafayette Head Coach

The head coach of the Louisiana-Lafayette team, who was ejected from the game for arguing with the James Madison bench after the on-field incident.

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What they’re saying

“The game was marred by an on-field incident. A Louisiana-Lafayette player bunted and elbowed the first baseman as he ran by. He was ejected from the game.”

— Kevin Sweeney, Author

“The Head Coach then lost his temper and started yelling at the James Madison bench. He was ejected as well.”

— Kevin Sweeney, Author

What’s next

James Madison plays at the University of Virginia on Tuesday at 6 pm. Louisiana-Lafayette plays at Southeastern Louisiana on Wednesday at 7 pm.

The takeaway

This was an emotional and tense conference matchup between two rival programs, with the Dukes emerging victorious despite the on-field incident and ejections. The win boosts James Madison's season record as they prepare to face another in-state rival in the University of Virginia.