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James Madison University
Hofstra
DUKES DROP TWO SOFTBALL GAMES AT HOFSTRA SATURDAY
3/24/2007 4:00:00 AM | Softball
Hofstra improved to 13-10 overall and 2-0 in the CAA with the wins. JMU is 15-11 overall and 0-2 in league play.
In the nightcap, DePasquale singled up the middle with a runner on third and nobody out in the 10th. Pinch hitter Christie Novatin (Farmingdale, N.J.) started the inning by reaching second on an error. Genevieve Haney (Leviitown, Pa.) ran for Novatin and moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on DePasquale's single.
DePasquale's hit was one of only two off JMU's Branden Moss (Richmond, Va./Trinity Episcopal) -- the other a bunt single -- in 7.2 innings of relief as the freshman left-hander took the tough-luck loss to fall to 3-3. Hofstra sophomore reliever Joanna Kralowetz (Mt. Airy, Md.) got the win with 5.2 innings of shutout relief, allowing six hits, to improve to 4-3.
Hofstra took a quick 1-0 lead as sophomore second baseman Casey Fee (Long Beach, N.Y.) led off with an infield single, went to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a passed ball and came home on an RBI groundout from sophomore catcher Carolann Lubach (Langley, Wash.).
The Pride scored twice in the second, although it left the bases loaded for a second time. With runners on first and second and one out, Lubach hit a sharp grounder up the middle that Duke senior shortstop Katie George (Virginia Beach, Va./Tallwood) dove to stop. George attempted to flip the ball to second for the force out, but the throw went astray, allowing the runner to score from third. Fee then came home for her second run of the game on a passed ball to stretch the lead to 3-0.
The Dukes got all the runs back in the fifth inning, as sophomore outfielder Kaitlyn Wernsing (Clemmons, N.C./West Forsyth) had an RBI single and one out later, George homered to straightaway center to knot the score up at 3-3.
Hofstra then left the bases loaded for the third time in the bottom of the fifth before JMU made strong bids to break the tie in the seventh, eighth, and ninth.
The Dukes got runners to second and third with two outs in the seventh, but DePasquale made a leaping catch of a hard liner from freshman second baseman Brittney Lyddane (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park) to keep the score tied.
In the ninth, DePasquale snared another scorching line drive off the bat of Lyddane with runners on first and second and one out and turned it into an unassisted double play.
George finished 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBI in the nightcap, while Wernsing was 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Seven players accounted for the Pride's seven hits.
In the opening game, Hofstra struck for two runs with two outs in the bottom of the first inning to give Lotti all the offensive support she would need. Fee and Lubach led off with a walk and a single, and junior shortstop Pam Dreslinski (Kingsville, Ohio) sacrificed the runners to second and third. One out later, sophomore left fielder Melissa Hodge (Hamilton, N.J.) lined a two-run single to left to plate the two runners. The Pride stretched the lead to 3-0 in the fifth, as Lubach had an RBI single to shallow right field.
Lotti struck out seven and walked three to get the win and improve to 6-3 on the season. Hodge was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI and Lubach was 2-for-3 with an RBI for Hofstra.
Lyddane had two of three JMU hits in the opener, includin
