2011 NCAA Softball Championship Game Notes

SALEM, Va. -- Christopher Newport University begins play in the 2011 NCAA Softball Championship on Friday, May 20 at 6:30 pm, taking on ninth-ranked Eastern Connecticut State (34-5). The only unranked team to advance to the 2011 NCAA Finals, the Captains swept through the Salisbury, Md. Regional with four wins over nationally ranked opponents.

Live video and live stats will be available for all games this week and CNU takes on the Warriors in the fourth game of the day on Friday. It will be the fifth straight game against a nationally ranked opponent as Eastern Connecticut sits at No. 9 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25.

CNU earned an at-large selection into the 2011 NCAA Tournament and is 35-10 heading into the Finals. CNU has split the all-time series against the Warriors, 1-1, with both games coming in last years NCAA Finals. It is the fifth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament for the Captains.

The Captains are led by senior slugger Jessie Atkinson, the USA South's all-time home run and RBI leader, who is also leading the squad in hitting, with a .433 average. Jen Falin has stepped up big in the NCAA Tournament, driving in 14 runs including a walk-off grand slam against No. 2 Emory.

Eastern Connecticut State features three-time All-American pitcher Molly Rathbun. Rathbun not only has a 23-1 record with a 0.72 ERA, but she also leads the squad in hitting, with a .423 average and a team-high 8 home runs.

The rest of the Finals field will play in three games before CNU and ECSU take the field. Linfield takes on SUNY Cortland at 11 am, Luther faces Texas-Tyler at 1:30 and Messiah will play DePauw at 4:00 pm. The winner of the Messiah/DePauw game will face the winner of the CNU/ECSU matchup on Saturday in the double-elimination tournament.

For rosters, stats and more information, check out the GAME NOTES.