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SALEM, Va.- The Christopher Newport softball team had a busy day Saturday at the Salem NCAA Regional. The day began with a loss to Salisbury in a suspended game from Friday night. The Captains bounced back, though, and defeated Neumann to stay alive in the double-elimination tournament at the Moyer Complex.

CNU, the fourth seed in the regional, defeated the seventh-seeded Knights, 10-4, to improve to 34-12 on the season. Neumann's season ends with a record of 30-16. Christopher Newport will play the winner of the Emory-Roanoke game Sunday beginning at 12 p.m.

"We needed to get our momentum back," Head Coach Keith Parr said following the triumph. "You have to have the one-game-at-a-time mentality, and we really were focused against Neumann. We have faced some really good pitching in this regional." 

After the Captains offense had been almost shut down by Salisbury pitching, CNU returned to form by compiling 15 hits off two Neumann pitchers. The Captains jumped to a 4-3 lead by scoring three runs in the second inning and never trailed in the game again. CNU broke the 6-4 game open with four runs in the top of the seventh inning to put it away.

Junior leftfielder Kelley Foate led the hit parade with four hits and also drove in four runs. Foate posted two singles, a double, and a triple. Freshman centerfielder Meagan Jones also had three hits, scored three times, and drove in two runs. 

Sophomore Sabrina Hill clubbed her third home run in as many games in the NCAA Regional. Her fifth inning solo shot was her 11th of the season. Hill, the Player of the Year in the USA South the last two years, was three-for-three with two runs scored and an RBI.

"Sabrina is being patient at the plate and waiting for good pitches," Parr continued. "We've been stressing discipline with her at the plate...good hitters wait for the right pitches. She has really hit the ball well."

Senior Whitney Haller was strong again in the circle, pitching a complete game for the Captains to pick up the win. She is now 14-5 on the season. Haller allowed just one earned run and scattered nine hits while walking three and striking out two. Haller has picked up the win in both regional victories in Salem over Roanoke and Neumann. Knights starter Allyson Parris took the loss to fall to 11-7.

Captains Notes
CNU recorded at least one hit in every inning and won despite stranding nine runners on base vs. Neumann.

After Friday night's game vs. Salisbury was suspended due to lightning and heavy rain, Saturday's game vs. Neumann was also delayed by bad weather. The action was halted in the bottom of the fourth inning for almost 90 minutes due to rain.

Senior catcher Chelsea Mitchell had her 16-game hitting streak snapped vs. Neumann. She was hitless in four at bats with a walk. Mitchell needs just three hits to tie Mary Kennedy for the all-time lead in base hits in CNU history.

The Captains are now 1-1 all-time vs. Neumann, with both games coming in the NCAA Tournament.

Neumann became the third team to be knocked out of the Salem regional, joining Penn State-Altoona and Lynchburg.