HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Towson University softball team won its second straight game of the 2014 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Tournament on Thursday evening, upsetting third-seeded Hofstra (33-13), 5-4.

The Tigers advance to face top-seeded James Madison (43-13) on Friday at noon for the CAA Championship. If the Tigers win, the teams will play again Friday following game one as the tournament is double elimination. James Madison is 2-0 in the tournament entering Friday after defeating Hofstra 8-0 earlier Thursday. Towson is 2-1.

It marks the fifth time Towson has reached the CAA Championship game and is the team's first appearance since 2009. It was also the Towson's first victory in the history of the program against Hofstra in the CAA Tournament. Prior to Thursday, Towson was 0-11 in the CAA Tournament against Hofstra.

The win came after the fourth-seeded Tigers (29-24 overall) earned a thrilling 8-6 win over the College of Charleston (40-16) earlier in the day to advance to Thursday night's matchup.

Hofstra's Rachel Senatore scored the game's first run in the night cap, coming home from third on a wild pitch and giving the Pride a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

However, the composed Tigers responded in the bottom of the inning with four runs. The first three batters in the lineup reached base, and Towson's first run came when Maureen Hepner singled down the leftfield line to score Olivia Yarbrough. Delanie Dunham and Nicole Delgado also chipped in with run scoring singles, and Hepner scored when Jessica South reached on a fielding error as the Tigers went ahead 4-1 after an eventful first inning.

South extended the Tiger lead to 5-1 with a solo homerun in the third inning, but the Pride added a homer of their own when Caryn Bailey hit a solo homer of her own to make the score 5-2 after four innings of play.

Bailey homered again for Hofstra in the sixth inning to make the score 5-3 in favor of Towson.

Tiger pitcher Missy McCormick, who had two homeruns, six RBIs and was the winning pitcher in the Tigers' 8-6 victory over the College of Charleston earlier in the day, was outstanding in the circle for Towson against Hofstra. She earned her 17th win of the year by throwing a complete game and giving up two earned runs. She allowed eight hits and walked two. 

Hepner had two hits, while South added two RBIs the win.