Dukes Drop CAA Championship Game to Hofstra

Friday, May 11

Harrisonburg, Va.

12 P.M.

James Madison University

42-12

Hofstra

40-12

James Madison

Hofstra

5/11/2018 3:10:00 PM | Softball

Box Score @JMUSoftball Box Score Photo Gallery

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Despite a three-run effort in the top of the seventh inning, the No. 1 seed James Madison softball team fell to No. 2 seeded Hofstra, 7-4, in the Colonial Athletic Association championship game Friday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Park.

The Dukes fell to 42-12 on the season after a 2-2 record in the CAA Tournament. Hofstra improved to 40-12.

In a last-ditch effort for the Dukes, sophomore Odicci Alexander launched a two-run long ball down the left field line in the top of the seventh. Sophomore Kate Gordon added the Dukes' first dinger of inning, bringing JMU within four runs.

Alexander singled to the shortstop to bring in a Sara Jubas run in the top of the third, opening the scoreboard for the game.

With the start in the circle, Alexander registered the loss, falling to 24-6 on the season. She hurled four innings, fanning three and allowing three runs. Freshman Payton Buresch ended the game on the mound, managing one strikeout in two innings.

Eight different Dukes slated hits on the day with sophomore Kierstin Roadcap producing a game high of three – one of which was a double in the top of the fifth - and Alexander registered two with three at bats, while putting up three RBI.

Hofstra began their scoring with two homers in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring three more runs in the bottom of the fifth and another in the sixth, achieving a lead that the Dukes couldn't upend.

CAA ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Senior Morgan Tolle, Jubas and Alexander were named to the CAA All-Tournament Team.
Tolle registered six runs on her tournament-high nine hits, registering a tournament-high nine RBI. She had two long balls and two doubles during the week and led the tournament with 17 total bases.
Jubas batted .571 with eight hits, the second most behind Tolle.
Alexander led the week in strikeouts (15) and home runs (3) and tied Tolle with nine RBI. She totaled 14 total bases and, from the circle, hurled 17 innings, going 1-1 on the week.

QUOTING COACH LAPORTE
"Congratulations to Hofstra on their win today. They played a great tournament, they're a very seasoned veteran team and it definitely showed this week. Our girls have a lot of fight in them and they gave it all they could today even though the outcome was not what they wanted. We hope this isn't the end to our season as we looked to have our named called on Sunday."

UP NEXT
The Dukes hope to extend their 2018 campaign with an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Selection Show will air Sunday, May 13 at 10 p.m. on ESPN2.