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James Madison University
Canisius
SOFTBALL WRAPS UP INVITATIONAL WITH WIN
3/16/2008 4:00:00 AM | Softball
HARRISONBURG, Va., March 16, 2008 ? The JMU softball team scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to come from behind and defeat Canisius College 7-4 in Sunday's JMU/Days Inn Invitational Softball Tournament.
The Dukes got a three-run triple from sophomore centerfielder Courtney Simons and a two-run home run from junior shortstop Amber Kirk on their way to their fourth win in five games in the tournament.
JMU raised its season record to 13-11 with the win and has won five of its last seven overall.
The Golden Griffins wrapped up the tournament with a 2-3 record and are now 5-4 overall.
The sixth inning began with JMU down 4-1 and without a hit in the game. They would load the bases with a hit batsman, a single by junior second baseman Kaitlyn Wernsing and a walk, before senior pinch hitter Katie Cochran drove in the Dukes second run of the game with a sacrifice fly. After another walk, Simons drove the ball to deep centerfield, scoring three runs and giving Madison its first lead of the day. Kirk followed with her third home run of the season, driving the first pitch she saw over the left-field fence.
The Griffins would threaten in the top of the seventh, loading the bases with two outs on a walk, single and a hit by pitch, before junior left-hander Shannon Outman escaped the jam with a game-ending fly out to leftfield.
Outman picked up the win, improving to 4-2 this season. She relieved junior RHP Jenny Clohan, giving up just one unearned run and three hits in three innings. The Gainesville, Fla. native struck out two and walked three.
