The No. 23/RV University of Gophers closed out the Wildcat Invitational with a ranked win (5-1) over No. 19/19 James Madison. They finish the weekend 4-1 and improve to 11-6 overall.

"It was a great game. It was a gutsy performance from our team," head coach Jamie Trachsel said. "It was one of our most complete games of the year. We weren't perfect but we were resilient and we found a way to win." 

James Madison pitched 2017 Schutt Sports/NFCA Player of the Year Megan Good and early on the game was locked in a pitcher's duel. Amber Fiser stayed dominant on the Gophers end recording strikeouts on the first eight outs for the defense. 

JMU got on the board first in the top of the fourth inning. They put a runner with a hit by a pitch. She advanced on a wild pitch and a passed ball and was brought home on a single to left. 

The Gophers quickly answered back when Maddie Houlihan stepped up to the plate and sent a solo shot to center to lead off the bottom of the fourth. It was the senior's first home run of the year. 

Tied 1-1, Carlie Brandt kicked off the bottom of the fifth with a double and the Gophers went into attack mode from there. Ellee Jensen followed with a single through the left side. MaKenna Partain made it to first on a fielding error and scooted over to second on the throw, sending Jensen to third and Brandt home. 

With the bases loaded and two outs on the board, Katelyn Kemmetmueller was walked, scoring Jensen. Allie Arneson delivered the final blow with a single to left to make it 5-1 Gophers. 

"It was just great composure," Trachsel said of the four run fifth inning. "We weren't chasing pitches out of the zone. We pressured the defense and had some big hits in big moments." 

James Madison reached on back-to-back hits in the seventh but were unable to do anything with it. Fiser went all seven innings, striking out 12 of the 28 batters she faced. She did not give up an earned run and improves to 7-4 on the season with a 1.31 ERA and 96 strikeouts. She had 12 strikeouts Friday, 13 Saturday and 12 today. 

Arneson, who had the big two-RBI single today, finished the weekend at .500 with three RBIs in five games to lead the team.