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James Madison University
Towson
CLOHAN PITCHES DUKES INTO CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
5/7/2009 5:45:00 PM | Softball
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., May 7, 2009 ? Senior right-hander Jenny Clohan (Ashburn, Va./Deep Run) threw JMU's second shutout in as many days to lead fourth-seeded Dukes to a 1-0 win over third-seeded Towson. With the win the Dukes advanced to Friday's championship game and will face the survivor of two elimination games between Georgia State, Hofstra and Towson. The championship game will take place 30 minutes after the conclusion of a second elimination game on Friday. The schudule was altered due to rain.
The Dukes improved 34-14 overall for the season and 9-10 all-time at the Colonial Athletic Association Championship, while Towson fell to 33-21. The Tigers will face the winner between Georgia State and Hofstra for the right to play in the championship game.
A little small ball gave JMU the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Freshman shortstop Ashley Burnham (Danvers, Mass./Danvers) led off the inning with a single into center and moved to third on back-to-back sacrifice bunts by seniors Julia Dominguez (Sterling, Va/Park View) and Kaitlyn Wernsing (Clemmons, N.C./West Forsyth). Junior left fielder Chel'sea Ryan (Sandston, Va./Henrico) laced a single to right-center to give the Dukes the 1-0 lead.
Clohan shut down the TU attack the rest of the way, allowing just four hits and one walk and striking out two to improve to 17-8 on the season. The senior has allowed just one run in her last 34.1 innings pitched.
Right-hander Shannon Johnston took the loss for Towson to fall to 21-9 on the season. She allowed seven hits and one run, walked one and struck out two in six innings pitched.
Towson threatened to even things up in the top of the fifth, getting a runner to third with only one out, but Clohan pitched her way out of it by inducing a popout and a groundout to end the inning.
