FAYETTEVILLE, NC – Christopher Newport's softball team was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament Friday in a 4-3 eight inning loss to Emory.

CNU got on the board in the bottom of the first when Meghan Morris walked and advanced to second on Mary Kennedy's bunt single. Katie Moyers sacrificed the two runners up a base and Morris scored on Margit Severin's sacrifice fly.

In the third, Kennedy singled with one out and advanced to second on a ground out. She came around to score on Severin's single to left to put the Captains on top, 2-0.

Back-to-back doubles after a Christopher Newport error plated three runs for the Eagles in the top of the fourth. All three runs were unearned.

In the bottom of the fourth, Renee Ashworth's single scored Kristen Nickloy, who doubled and was lifted for a pinch runner,that tied the game at 3-3.

Kristen Rowe relieved Lindsay Kelly in the fifth and sailed through her first three innings pitched. In the eighth, she retired the first two batters and then allowed a two-out triple who scored on a single one batter later for the go-ahead run.

CNU went down in order in the bottom of the eighth.

Kennedy led the Captains going 2-for-4. Moyers, Severin, Atkinson, Nickloy, and Ashworth all had one hit.

Kelly started and went four innings, allowing three unearned runs on four hits, walking five and striking out one. Rowe suffered the loss, allowing the one run on five hits, walking one and striking out one.

Emory improves to 29-11 on the year. Christopher Newport concludes 2008 with a record of 33-10-1.

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