Box Score   |  Box Score in HTML Format  |  Box Score in PDF Format

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. -- Senior Krista Townsend carried a perfect game into the sixth inning and finished out a dominant three-hit complete game victory on Saturday, as she led the third-seeded Christopher Newport Captains (30-11) past second-seeded Piedmont College, 7-1. CNU added a pair of three-run home runs in support of Townsend, cruising into the winner's bracket final against eighth-seeded LaGrange Saturday evening.

The Captains jumped out in front of the 19th-ranked Piedmont Lions (31-7) with a big blast in the top of the first inning. With two outs, senior catcher Chelsea Mitchell stepped in and smacked a three-run home run to left field, plating Kelley Foate and Candice Zollars. It was the second three-run homer of the day for CNU, as Kristina McLaughlin hammered a shot to left center in the opening game earlier in the morning. 

Sophomore Sabrina Hill, the USA South Player of the Year, would give the Captains their third such blast in the third inning, getting Towsend a 6-0 lead. After Mitchell and McLaughlin singled, Hill stepped in against Piedmont starter Brittney Head and hit her eighth home run of the season. 

With a big lead in hand, Townsend was effective and efficient in the circle, using her defense and keeping the ball in the zone. She retired 16 straight Lions to start the game, with just four balls leaving the infield. With one out in the sixth inning, her perfect game was denied when sophomore Abby Atkinson singled to right center field. An error extended the inning and Piedmont capitalized to score Atkinson on a ground ball to the second baseman, but the unearned run would be all Piedmont could muster as Townsend stranded two runners. 

For the game, the senior right-hander finished with a complete game, striking out one with just three hits allowed, all singles. She faced just four batters over the minimum, improving to 9-4 and lowering her season ERA to 2.11. 

The win gives CNU their sixth consecutive 30-win campaign.

The Captains will now advance to play 8th-seeded LaGrange at the Rocky Mount Sports Complex in Saturday evening's winner's bracket final. The winning team will advance to play for the USA South Championship on Sunday.