HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Towson Tigers scored five runs in the top of the first inning and then held off a late James Madison rally to take the final game of the series, 8-7, Sunday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Park.
 
The Tigers (12-29-2, 6-12 CAA) wasted little time in getting on the board as Mark Grunberg and Colin Gimblet singled to start the game.  Brady Policelli was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Peter Bowles to deliver an RBI single to left field.  Chris Henze walked to score the second run and Richie Blosser delivered an RBI single through the left side to chase JMU starter Eric Yankey before he could record an out.
 
Colin Dyer drew a bases-loaded walk to score the fourth run before Brendan Butler delivered a sacrifice fly to right field to make it 5-0 after a half inning of play.
 
Towson took advantage of back-to-back errors with two outs in the fifth to scratch across two more runs.  With runners on the corners, Grunberg reached on an error by the third baseman with a runner on third.  Gimblet followed with an RBI single up the middle to make it 7-0.
 
Right hander Lee Lawler (4-4) made sure the lead held as he kept JMU off the board through the first five innings.  Lawler ran into a little trouble in the sixth and departed after allowing three runs on eight hits in five-plus innings.
 
The Dukes (15-25, 4-14 CAA) began their comeback in the sixth as Chad Carroll delivered a two-run double and Kevin Husum launched a three-run home to left field.
 
The Tigers scored what turned out to be the game-winning run as Henze singled to center and advanced to third on Blosser's fly ball to center field that was lost in the sun, but ruled a two-base error.  Butler followed with his second sacrifice fly of the game, this time to center field.
 
JMU came right back in the home half of the inning with a sacrifice fly from Brian San Martin and a run-scoring single from Ty Parrott. 
 
Austin Clark (1) then came on to get a flyout to end the eighth and retire all three hitters he faced in the ninth for his first save.
 
Yankey (1-3) took the loss after allowing the five runs on four hits, one walk and one hit batter without recording an out.
 
The Tigers used a balanced offensive attack as eight of the nine hitters in the lineup collected at least one hit, while seven players drove in a run and also scored a run.  Gimblet, Policelli and Dyer each had two hits, while Butler drove in two runs.
 
Towson returns to action Tuesday afternoon as it travels to face George Washington.  First pitch is set for 3 p.m.