Box Score 1 | Box Score 2  (Sortable)
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Game 1:  Box Score in HTML Format  |  Box Score in PDF Format
Game 2:  Box Score in HTML Format  |  Box Score in PDF Format

BURLINGTON, N.C. -- Top-seeded Christopher Newport was upset today, as #3 Ferrum College (35-12) handed the Captains a pair of losses in the 2012 USA South Softball Championship. The Panthers earned the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament and CNU will await a decision on an at-large bid later this month after wrapping up on Wednesday against Bridgewater at home. CNU falls to 32-9 overall.

Whitney Haller was the hard-luck losing pitcher in the first game, dropping a 2-0 complete game in the eighth inning when Tournament MVP Hannah Shumaker hit a two-run homer for the only scoring in the game.

Haller and Shumaker, also pitching in the first game, matched eachother pitch-for-pitch as each struck out five in the game, holding the others offense empty until extra innings. CNU loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh with one out, but the Ferrum right-hander induced a pair of groundouts to escape the jam. In the top of the eigth, she stepped in with a runner on first and homered to right field. The Captains couldn't answer in the bottom half, forcing a second and deciding game.

In the second game, Ferrum scored three runs in the third and tacked on one more in the fifth and sixth to take a 5-1 decision over the Captains, capturing the title. Shumaker had two RBI and a run scored, going 2-2 in the second game. CNU was led by senior Maggie Farris, going 2-3, and sophomore Kristina McLaughlin, plating CNU's lone run in the top of the sixth.

Captains second baseman Jen Falin stayed hot at the plate, going 3-6 in the doubleheader, and was named to the All-Tournament Team. Joining the senior was sophomore outfielder Kelley Foate and rookie first baseman Sabrina Hill.

CNU has one more home doubleheader, this Wednesday vs. Bridgewater, and then will wait on NCAA selections to see if they will earn an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament.