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James Madison University
Virginia
SOFTBALL FALLS BY ONE TO VIRGINIA
3/28/2007 4:00:00 AM | Softball
HARRISONBURG, Va., March 28, 2007 ? James Madison and the University of Virginia were able to get one of the two scheduled games in before a lightening delay pushed back the second game and it was called due to darkness before the required number of innings for an official game was played.
The Cavaliers took advantage of JMU errors and were able to hold off a late rally by the Dukes to earn a 6-5 win. The win improved UVA's record to 11-22 while the loss dropped JMU to 16-12 on the season.
JMU jumped out to an early lead when the team scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning off of a pair of RBI doubles from Courtney Simons (Richmond, Va./Deep Run) and Brittney Dyson (Waldorf, Md./Thomas Stone).
The Dukes held their 2-0 lead until the fourth inning when the Cavaliers took advantage of JMU errors.
Casey Steffan reached on a bobbled ball by the second baseman and Kierstie Cameron reached on a bobble by the third baseman which allowed a run to score. Three more unearned runs would score in the inning and the Dukes found themselves down 4-2.
Virginia added two more runs in the top of the fifth when Sarah Tacke's single through the middle scored Kelly Haller and Cameron knocked in teammate Abby Snyder with a single to right field.
JMU cut the Cavalier lead to two in the bottom of the sixth. Amber Kirk (Hamilton, Va./Loudoun County) lead off the inning with a single to centerfield followed by a double from Kaitlyn Wernsing (Clemmons, N.C./West Forsyth) with two outs. Dyson then hit her second double of the day and both Kirk and Wernsing scored to make the score 6-4 in favor of Virginia.
The Dukes held Virginia scoreless in the top of the seventh and came to bat in the bottom of the seventh down by two.
Katie George (Virginia Beach, Va./Tallwood) led off the inning with a double to left center. Two out later, Kirk singled through the left side and george scored to cut the lead down to one. Cavalier pitcher Coty Toler forced the next batter into a fly ball to centerfield to end the game and give the Cavaliers a 6-5 win over JMU.
Branden Moss (Richmond, Va./Trinity Episcopal) started the game for the Dukes and went 4 1/3 innings giving up six runs of which only two were earned, on six hits and striking out four.
Jenny Clohan (Ashburn, Va./Broad Run) pitched the final 2 2/3 innings giving up no runs, on four hits, and striking out one.
The Dukes will return to action on Saturday against conference opponent Georgia State. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m. in Harrisonburg, Va.
