FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES
HARRISONBURG, Va., March 16, 2008 – James Madison University scored eight runs in the first inning and cruised to a 16-1 victory over Towson to complete a Colonial Athletic Association series sweep on Sunday afternoon at Long Field/Mauck Stadium.
JMU won its ninth game in a row to improve to 13-3 overall and 8-1 in the CAA. The Dukes have compiled their best record through 16 games since the 1988 team opened 13-1-2. The winning streak is the longest since winning 16 in a row early in the 2006 campaign. Towson fell to 5-10 overall and 0-6 in the CAA. The Dukes are now 37-28 all-time against the Tigers.
After two outs to open the first inning, nine consecutive JMU batters reached base on eight hits and a walk to plate eight runs. The Dukes added three runs in the fifth and put the game away with five runs in the seventh. The 16 runs were scored on 17 hits while Towson was limited to one run on five hits.
Sophomore Kyle Hoffman (Reading, Pa./Twin Valley) continued his solid season, going 6 2/3 innings and allowing one run on five hits with six strikeouts to lower his season earned run average to 2.96 and improve to 3-0. Redshirt sophomore Jason Kuhn (Stafford, Va./Brooke Point) retired the last seven batters in order to run his streak to 21 consecutive batters retired.
Sophomore Matt Browning (Mystic, Conn./Fitch) paced the offense, going 4-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored. Redshirt junior Lee Bujakowski (Hopewell, Va./Hopewell) was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored, including a two-run home run. Freshman McKinnon Langston (Tallahassee, Fla./North Florida Christian) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Junior Brett Garner (Burke, Va./Lake Braddock) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Freshman David Herbek (Haymarket, Va./Battlefield) added a two-run home run.
Freshman Duane Herr (Glen Burnie, Md./Glen Burnie) started and took the loss for Towson, allowing eight runs, seven earned, on eight hits and recording just two outs. Junior Josh Squatrito (Willow Street, Pa./Penn Manor) retired 11 JMU batters in a row before allowing three runs in the fifth.
Sophomore Steve Yarsinsky (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) was the lone Tiger with two hits while also scoring a run. Junior Aaron Gabrielian (Sykesville, Md./Century) had the only RBI.
Of JMU’s eight hits in the first inning, six were doubles and all eight came consecutively. The final run came in on a wild pitch.
The Dukes went down in order until the fifth inning when Browning doubled down the left field line. Langston followed with an RBI single before Bujakowski blasted a two-run home run to right center for an 11-0 lead.
Towson plated its only run in the seventh with Gabrielian hitting a two-out single to left to plate Yarsinsky.
JMU put up a five-spot in the bottom of the inning. Redshirt freshman Trevor Knight (Charlottesville, Va./St. Anne’s-Belfield) lifted a sacrifice fly to center field. Garner followed with an RBI single and Herbek then smacked a two-run home run to left field. After a pitching change, redshirt senior Joe Lake (Elkridge, Md./Long Reach) hit an RBI triple to the corner in right field to end the scoring at 16-1.
After a 4-0 home stand, the Dukes return to the road on Tuesday with a 3 p.m. game at Liberty.
