SOFTBALL SWEEPS DREXEL, EXTENDS WINNING STREAK TO TWELVE

Sunday, April 22

Harrisonburg, Va.

Noon

James Madison University

Drexel

SOFTBALL SWEEPS DREXEL, EXTENDS WINNING STREAK TO TWELVE

4/22/2007 4:00:00 AM | Softball

HARRISONBURG, Va., April 22, 2007 ? The James Madison University softball team completed a three-game sweep of conference opponent Drexel on Sunday with a 7-4 victory. The Dukes improve to 31-14 and extend the longest winning streak in the history of the program to 12 games. JMU remains tied for first with Hofstra as both come out of the weekend with 11-3 league marks.

Drexel falls to 15-14, 6-8 in the CAA.

The Dragons jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Ashley Botelho hit a solo home run to left-center.

The Dukes came back to take the lead in the bottom of the second. Brittney Lyddane (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park) hit a double to center that plated pinch-runner Kendra Johnson (Virginia Beach, Va./Green Run) and tied the game. Lyddane came in to score later in the inning when Kaitlyn Wernsing (Clemmons, N.C./West Forsyth) hit a sacrifice fly to left field that gave the Dukes a 2-1 advantage.

Jenn Chavez (Upland, Calif., Upland) added another run in the third inning with a solo homre to center to put JMU up 3-1.

The Dragons cut the lead back to one in the fifth inning off an RBI infield single by Carla Waldron that left the score at 3-2.

JMU added four runs in the sixth first off a Jenny Clohan (Ashburn, Va./Broad Run) double that hit the top of the fence in left-center field. Three runs came in to score and gave the Dukes a 6-2 lead. Clohan scored later in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Lauren Mernin (Herndon, Va./Herndon) and put JMU up 7-2.

The Dragons fought back in the seventh inning and loaded the bases against starting pitcher Branden Moss (Richmond, Va./Trinity Episcopal). Clohan came in to pitch with two outs and the bases loaded against Botelho. Botelho reached on an error by the right fielder and two runs came home to cut the lead to 7-4. Clohan forced the next batter into a pop-up and ended the game.

Moss (7-5) got the win for JMU pitching 6 2/3 innings and giving up four runs of which two were earned, on eight hits while striking out four.

Clohan picked up her second save of the season going 1/3 inning and giving up nothing.

Katrina Gaudier (8-6) took the loss for Drexel giving up seven runs on nine hits, while striking out one in 5 1/3 innings of work.

JMU returns to action on Saturday, April 28 when the Dukes travel to UNC Wilmington for a doubleheader that is scheduled to begin at noon.