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SALISBURY, Md. -- Christopher Newport University junior Jennifer Falin (Williamsburg, Va.) smashed her second grand slam home run in as many days, leading the Captains to a 7-3 win over Salisbury Saturday in the NCAA Division III softball tournament. It was the third straight win for the Captains in the regional, and CNU is now just a win away from advancing to the national finals for the second straight season.

The Captains, now 34-10, will play Sunday afternoon for the regional championship. CNU is the only undefeated team left in the double elimination regional.

For the second straight day, Falin's grand slam provided a 7-3 final score. On Friday, Falin hit her grand slam in the 13th inning to beat Emory. Falin, who now has 11 home runs for the season, has knocked in nine runs in the last two days. She leads the squad with 11 RBI in the three NCAA games so far.

CNU fell behind early Saturday as Salisbury, seeded #3 in the regional, scored three times in the first inning while posting only one base hit. Christopher Newport, seeded #5, got on the board in the third scoring an unearned run. Freshman Kelley Foate (Richmond, Va.) came home on a throwing error to make it 3-1 Sea Gulls.

The Captains would then blow the game open with a six-run fourth inning. Foate pulled CNU to within a run with an RBI single to make it a 3-2 game. Freshman Kristina McLaughlin (Virginia Beach, Va.) then scored Foate with an RBI double to tie the game at 3-3.

After senior Jessie Atkinson (Mechanicsville, Va.) was intentionally walked, Falin stepped to the plate and again provided the heroics. Falin's grand slam completed the scoring and put the Captains just one win away from advancing to the national finals.

Sophomore Whitney Haller (Chesterfield, Va.) pitched a complete game for the Captains and allowed just three runs on three hits. She also struck out four and walked five. Haller's win improved her record for the season to 18-4.

The Captains scored seven runs on only five hits for the day. McLaughlin and Foate each had two hits and Falin's grand slam was the only other hit for CNU in the game. Foate, CNU's leadoff hitter, scored twice and has now scored five times in the last two games. Foate tops the Captains with seven hits in the three NCAA games so far and has also scored a team-high six times.

The Captains' next opponent will not be decided until two games are played Sunday morning. Shenandoah will play Rowan in an elimination game at 9 a.m. with the winner advancing to play Salisbury at 11 a.m. The winner of that game will play CNU at 1 p.m.

Christopher Newport needs just one win to advance, while their opponent Sunday would have to beat the Captains to force a deciding game on Monday morning.