Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 (Sortable)
---
Game 1:
Box Score in HTML Format |
Box Score in PDF Format
Game 2:
Box Score in HTML Format |
Box Score in PDF Format
RALEIGH, N.C. -- With a doubleheader sweep of William Peace University (14-20, 7-11) today, the 12th ranked Christopher Newport Captains (28-6, 14-2) clinched the 2012 USA South Regular Season Conference Championship. CNU locked up the top seed in next week's USA South Conference Tournament held in Burlington, N.C. with help from Shenandoah University, earning a split at Meredith and eliminating the Avenging Angels from contention. CNU travels to play Meredith tomorrow at 12:30 pm, closing out the USA South regular season.
On Friday, the Captains used a three-run homer from senior
Jen Falin in the top of the seventh inning in game one to win, 4-0, while junior starter
Whitney Haller picked up her tenth win of the season in game two as the Captains took an 8-1 decision.
In the first game of the twin bill, CNU starter
Krista Townsend tossed her most impressive game of the year. Townsend gave up just three singles in a complete game shutout, while striking out a season-high 10 batters. She dominated the Pacers early, striking out the side in the first and second innings.
The Captains gave her a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning when a two-out error by the center fielder scored lead-off hitter
Kelley Foate. That was all the offense, though, until the top of the seventh when rookies
Kristen Olsen and
Sabrina Hill each reached on a pair of errors. That set up the three-run dinger by Falin, giving Townsend a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom half, where she retired the side 1-2-3 to seal the win.
In game two, the Captains distanced themselves a little earlier in the game, taking a 4-1 lead after four innings. Peace actually struck first against Haller, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning with an RBI single. It was the only run the Pacers would score, though, as the Captains ace allowed just five hits while striking out eight for the win. It was her 10th victory of the season, improving to 10-3 overall and gives her 30 for her career, good for 11th on the Captains' all-time list.
Hill tied the game with an RBI single in the third and CNU took a three-run lead in the fourth when senior
Maggie Farris drilled a pinch-hit double scoring a pair, and came around to score on a single by Olsen. CNU tacked on one run in the fifth, sixth and two in the seventh for the final score, 8-1, behind Haller.
Falin went 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored in the doubleheader and Foate was 4-for-7 with a pair of runs scored. Olsen and
Chelsea Mitchell each added 3-for-7 performances while Olsen drove in a pair and scored twice.
CNU earned the number one seed in next week's conference tournament in Burlington, clinching the regular season title for the fourth straight year. Seeding and schedule for the tournament will be posted on CNUsports.com early next week.
