THREE-RUN EIGHTH PUSHES BASEBALL DUKES PAST HOKIES 8-6

Tuesday, March 27

Harrisonburg, Va.

2:30 PM

James Madison University

8-16

Virginia Tech

15-11

Virginia Tech

James Madison

3/27/2007 4:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va., March 27, 2007 ? Junior Joe Lake's (Elkridge, Md./Long Reach) RBI single in a three-run eighth proved to be the game winner as James Madison University pulled out an 8-6 come-from-behind victory over Virginia Tech on Tuesday afternoon at Long Field/Mauck Stadium.

The win was the 1,100^th is program history as JMU is now 1,100-683-8 in 38 seasons. The Dukes improved to 8-16 in 2007 and 28-20 in the series history against VT. The Hokies dropped to 15-11 and lost for the third time in four games.

Trailing by one heading into the bottom of the eighth, the Dukes got a one-out, pinch-hit single from sophomore Lee Bujakowski (Hopewell, Va./Hopewell) with a runner on second to tie the score. That set the stage for Lake's RBI single through the left side of the infield for a 7-6 lead. Junior Kellen Kulbacki (Palmyra, Pa./Hershey) tacked on another run with a sacrifice fly to account for the final margin.

The sac fly capped a strong performance by Kulbacki, who went 3-for-3 with two singles, a three-run home run, and a hit by pitch. His three hits and four RBIs tied season highs. The home run was the eighth of the season and 40^th of his career, moving him within one of Michael Cowgill's school record. His six total bases moved him within two of the JMU top 10 list with 368 total, and his hit by pitch gave him 22 to climb into a tie for seventh.

Senior Jacob Cook (Mechanicsville, Va./Lee-Davis) improved to 3-3 with three scoreless innings of relief. He allowed just three hits and moved into seventh on the JMU innings-pitched list with 236 1/3. Cook has been the winner in each of JMU's last three victories.

Senior Bobby Lasko (Athens, Pa./Athens Area) pitched the last out to earn his third save of the season. He moved into a tie for third on the career saves chart with nine.

In addition to Kulbacki, Lake finished 2-for-4 with a walk, run scored, and the game-winning RBI. Senior Davis Stoneburner (Richmond, Va./Mills Godwin) and freshman Matt Browning (Mystic, Conn./Fitch) each added RBIs on solo home runs.

Redshirt sophomore Rhett Ballard (High Point, N.C./SW Guilford) took the loss for Tech and dropped to 4-2 in his 17^th appearance in 26 games. He allowed all three runs in JMU's eighth-inning rally. Sophomore Evan Frederickson (Oak Hill, Va./Oakton) started and surrendered five runs in 4 2/3 innings. He allowed just four hits but was hurt by wildness with seven walks and three wild pitches.

Senior Nate Parks (Roanoke, Va./Glenvar) was 2-for-4 with a three-run home run for the Hokies. Senior Bryan Thomas (Wilmington, N.C./Hoggard) had three hits, all doubles. Junior Jose Cueto (Miami, Fla./Braddock) had two hits and two runs driven in while sophomore Sean Ryan (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) also had two hits.

Virginia Tech outhit JMU 13-9 with eight of those hits coming on doubles. It was the 18^th time in 24 games that JMU had fewer hits than its opponent and just the fourth win of those 18.

Browning put the Dukes on the board first in the second inning with a solo home run to right center, his first career home run in just his fifth start at JMU.

After showing bunt on the first pitch of his at bat, Parks parked a three-run home run in the third for a 3-1 VT advantage. Freshman Anthony Sosnoskie (Front Royal, Va./Notre Dame Academy) and Ryan reached in front of him on consecutive singles. The Hokies added doubles by Thomas and Cueto to plate a fourth run in the inning.

JMU jumped right back in the game quickly with back-to-back walks issued by Frederickson, his third and fourth of the game in three innings. That was followed by an opposite field three-run homer by Kulbacki. It was his firs