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SALEM, Va.- The NCAA softball game between Christopher Newport and Salisbury that was suspended Friday evening due to heavy rain and lightning resumed Saturday morning. It didn't take long for the top-seeded Sea Gulls to break a 3-3 tie and advance in the winner's bracket of the double-elimination regional.

On the very first pitch delivered by CNU senior Krista Townsend, Salisbury senior catcher Michelle Gravdahl smacked a grand slam home run over the centerfield fence. It was Gravdahl's second home run of the game, and provided the Gulls with a 7-3 victory at the Moyer Complex. Gravdahl knocked in six of Salisbury's seven runs with the two blasts.

The game had been stopped Friday night with the score tied at 3-3 and with Salisbury at the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. The Captains, seeded fourth, trailed the top-seeded Sea Gulls, 3-1, going to the bottom of the seventh inning before rallying to tie the game and force extra innings.

Salisbury's sophomore starting pitcher Rachel Johnson retired the Captains in order in the bottom of the eighth to close out the complete game victory. Johnson struck out 11 and allowed just three CNU hits. 

The Captains had their 10-game winning streak snapped and will now face seventh-seeded Neumann in an elimination game. It will begin at approximately 12 p.m. Saturday, following the Emory-Piedmont game that was postponed Friday night.

CNU is now 33-12, while Salisbury improves to 37-2. The Sea Gulls will play late Saturday afternoon against the winner of the Emory-Piedmont game.

CNU's rally in the seventh was started by senior catcher Chelsea Mitchell, who extended her hitting streak to 16 games with a leadoff single. Johnson then struggled finding the plate and walked the next three batters, scoring Mitchell to make it a 3-2 game. Junior Taylor Dillow then hit into a force out scoring junior Kristina McLaughlin to tie the game at 3-3.

As extra innings began, the Sea Gulls mounted a rally in the top of the eighth. Two singles opened the inning before Townsend retired two batters on a fielders choice and fly ball. The game was stopped due to lightning with Gravdahl at the plate and the bases full with two outs and a 2-2 count.

Earlier in the game, the Captains grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning when sophomore Sabrina Hill homered to center field. It was Hill's 10th dinger of the season and the second in as many days in the regional. Hill was the USA South's Player of the Year for the second straight season this year.

Salisbury used the long ball to take the lead in the top of the third. Gravdahl smacked a two-run shot off Townsend to put the Gulls ahead, 2-1. SU added to the lead with a single run in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly from senior shortstop Hannah Mills.