NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport University dropped its opening game Friday afternoon in the 2021 NCAA Softball Championship, losing to Emmanuel College (Mass.) in Seguin, Texas. The Captains, seeded third, fell to the fourth-seeded Saints, 3-2, and will play top-seeded Texas Lutheran Saturday afternoon at 12 noon (Eastern time) in the double-elimination regional.

The teams were scoreless through the first four frames as starting pitchers Gracie Vallejos and Megan Long dominated. The Saints broke through first and grabbed the lead with two runs in the fifth and another in the sixth. Christopher Newport's subsequent comeback effort saw the Captains plate two runs in the bottom of the sixth, but fall short leaving the potential game-tying run at second base in the bottom of the seventh.

The Captains, now 28-13 on the year, got on the board thanks to an RBI double off the bat of junior catcher Bailey Roberts. The hit brought home senior Patty Maye Ohanian, who had opened the bottom of the sixth with her second single of the day. Later in the inning, the Captains cut the lead to one thanks to RBI groundout from junior Sarah Proctor, plating junior Caroline Helmer.

Christopher Newport opened the bottom of the seventh with a single from senior Natalie Carmichael, her second of the game, but the Captains were unable to pull even or pull out the victory. CNU left seven runners on base in the defeat.

CNU starter, sophomore Gracie Vallejos, pitched the first five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. Vallejos struck out five and took the loss to fall to 12-7 on the year. Senior Emily Weatherholtz threw two scoreless innings in relief for the Captains.

Emmanuel, from the Boston area, improved to 21-4 with the triumph, and starter Megan Long threw five and one-third innings to earn the victory and improve to 11-2 on the season. The game, on an 87-degree day at Ed Kruse Stadium, was the first meeting ever with the Saints, who held a 10-7 edge in hits in the game.

Christopher Newport, ranked 11th in the nation, faces elimination from the 48-team tournament on Saturday, facing the host of the six-team regional, top-seeded and top-ranked Texas Lutheran. First pitch is scheduled for 12 noon (Eastern time). The Bulldogs are 29-4 following a 21-3 victory Friday over Cedar Crest in the opening game of the regional. TLU is the defending National Champion, having won the tournament in 2019, the last time it was played.

The Captains played Texas Lutheran last year in the Leadoff Classic in Tucson, Arizona. Christopher Newport posted a 10-2 victory over the unbeaten and top-ranked Bulldogs in a game that was halted after five innings due to the eight-run mercy rule. It is the only meeting ever of the two programs.