Sheriff: JMU softball star’s death an apparent suicide

HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP) — The death of a James Madison softball star has been classified as an apparent suicide. Rockingham County Sheriff Bryan Hutcheson says an investigation into Lauren Bernett’s death is continuing and an official report from the medical examiner’s office is pending. JMU president Jonathan Alger and athletic director Jeff Bourne announced the death of the 20-year-old sophomore catcher from Pennsylvania in a news release. The announcement of Bernett’s death came a day after she was named the CAA player of the week for batting .778 with seven RBIs and four runs in a three-game weekend sweep of Drexel that pulled JMU within a game of league-leading Delaware.