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 SALISBURY, MD- The Christopher Newport softball team completed a clean sweep Sunday, winning its fourth straight game in as many days to capture the Salisbury Regional Championship in the NCAA Tournament. The Captains, who will advance to the National Finals in Salem, Virginia next weekend, erupted for 19 runs on 19 hits and crushed the host school, Salisbury University, 19-3.

It will be the second straight trip for CNU softball to the National Finals. The eight teams advancing will begin play on Friday at the Moyer Sports Complex in Salem. CNU is expected to play in the 6 p.m. game Friday against the winner of the Providence regional.

Christopher Newport held graduation ceremonies Sunday, and fittingly the Captains' three seniors played a huge part in the victory over the Sea Gulls. Jessie Atkinson (Mechanicsville, Va.), CNU's cleanup hitter who had been pitched around for most of the first three days, blasted a grand slam home run in the fifth inning that provided all the runs the Captains would need. It was the third straight game the CNU squad registered a grand slam, as junior Jennifer Falin (Williamsburg, Va.) crushed slams on Friday and Saturday. Falin was 3 for 5 on Sunday with 3 more RBI's to finish with 14 for the regional.

Senior Ashley Mani (Chesapeake, Va.) was 4 for 6 on Sunday and senior Lauren Rowley (Lorton, Va.) was 3 for 4 with 2 RBI's.

The Captains scored 5 runs in the fourth inning, 5 more in the fifth, and then posted 9 runs in the sixth inning. The game was stopped after six innings due to the 15-run rule.

Freshmen Kristina McLaughlin (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Kelley Foate (Richmond, Va.) continued their hot hitting. McLaughlin knocked in 4 runs and scored 3 times while Foate was 2 for 5 with 3 runs scored and finished the regional with 9 runs scored.

Sophomore Krista Townsend (Midlothian, Va.) went the distance to pick up the win. Townsend allowed just 4 hits and 2 earned runs with 5 strikeouts. She was 2-0 in the regional and pitched 19 total innings allowing just 5 earned runs.

The win gives the Captains, the #5 seed in the regional, a 35-10 record and CNU is one of just eight schools advancing in the 60-team tournament.

Salisbury, the #3 seed in the regional and ranked #10 in the nation, finishes the season with a 36-7 record.

CNU placed five on the all-tournament team led by Falin at second base and Atkinson at third. Mani hauled in her second straight All-NCAA Regional honors in the outfield and sophomore pitcher Krista Townsend also earned the nod. Chelsea Mitchell rounded out the honors as an at-large selection.

Christopher Newport scored 41 runs in the four victories this weekend in Salisbury, and allowed just 15.

The Captains have now won eight straight regional games after sweeping last year as well as this year.