LATE RALLY GIVES HOFSTRA BASEBALL SWEEP OVER DUKES

Sunday, April 23

Hempstead, N.Y.

TBA

James Madison University

26-18, 0

Hofstra

18-24-1, 0

James Madison

Hofstra

4/23/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., April 23, 2006 — Sophomore designated hitter Matt Kougasian (Rochelle Park, N.J./St. Joseph Regional) doubled in three runs to snap a tie game in the bottom of the eighth and propel Hofstra to a 6-3 Colonial Athletic Association baseball win against James Madison Sunday afternoon at University Field.

The Pride completed a sweep of the three-game series and improved to 18-24-1 overall and kept their CAA tournament hopes alive with an 8-13 league mark. The Dukes, who had won five straight league games heading into the weekend, came out with an overall mark of 26-18 and CAA ledger of 14-7.

Redshirt sophomore third baseman Joe Lake (Elkridge, Md./Long Reach) had put the Dukes on top, 3-2, with double to the gap in left-center to drive in all three JMU runs. The stage was set with back-to-back singles from senior left fielder Matt Bristow (Richmond, Va./Mills Godwin) and freshman center fielder Matt Townsend (Lorton, Va./Hayfield) and a walk to senior second baseman Michael Cowgill (Lexington, Ky./Henry Clay).

Redshirt freshman right-hander Kurt Houck (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown) had shut out the Pride for 5 1/3 innings of relief, giving up just two hits while fanning a career-high seven. However, he issued his only two walks to back-to-back batters with one out in the eighth.

On came JMU's junior closer Bobby Lasko (Athens, N.Y./Athens Area). Hofstra senior first baseman Mike Walsh (Norfolk, Mass./King Phillip Regional) was the first to face Lasko, and he found the seam between shortstop and third on a hit-and-run that scored the tying run. Senior third baseman Ricky Caputo (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) jammed the bases when he was hit by a pitch. Kougasian stepped up to lace his double into the right-center gap.

Hofstra junior closer Jeff Denlea (Oyster Bay, N.Y./St. Dominic's) retired the Dukes in order in the ninth to record his fourth save.

JMU senior first baseman Nate Schill (Audubon, N.J./Audubon) picked up two hits to extend his hitting streak to 12 games and to move into a tie for eighth all-time at JMU with 233 career hits.

The Dukes play at George Washington on Tuesday (April 25) at 3 p.m. and will host Georgia State in a three-game CAA series during the weekend.