SALEM, Va. - Christopher Newport University's bats came alive in the final two innings Saturday afternoon, as the top-ranked Captains came from behind to beat Berry College, 6-2, in the NCAA Division III Softball Finals. The victory was the 21st straight for CNU, and improved Keith Parr's team to 44-1 on the season.

The win will propel the Captains to play on Sunday at 12 noon against fourth-seeded Texas Lutheran, who knocked out Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference rival Salisbury University Saturday night.

The CNU-Berry game was the third of six played Saturday at the Moyer Sports Complex on a sunny and breezy day following Friday's rain-outs. Four schools in the eight-team final; WPI, Millikin, Salisbury, and Eastern Connecticut State; were ousted from the double elimination tourney Saturday.

Christopher Newport freshman pitcher Jamie Martin, the National Freshman of the Year, threw the first five innings for the Captains and earned her 20th victory of the season with just one loss. Senior center fielder Sarah Proctor knocked in two runs with a sixth inning double, and senior designated player Caroline Helmer had two singles and an RBI on a sacrifice fly in the seventh frame.

Martin and Berry starter Hannah Gore were locked in a pitcher's duel through the first five frames before the Captains grabbed the lead with a three-run sixth and two-run seventh. Berry, now 35-12, was the home team and scored first with a single run in the third inning. Riley Jackson singled home Katie White, who had doubled with two outs, and the Vikings took a 1-0 advantage. The Captains pulled even in the top of the fourth when senior Kaitlyn Hasty walked, and pinch-runner Kensley Hess was inserted in her place. Sophomore Brooke Greaver delivered a double to right-center field to score Hess and tie the game at 1-1.

Berry bounced back in the bottom of the fourth, and re-claimed the lead on a lead-off home run from Morgan Frye, her 13th of the season, to give the Vikings a 2-1 lead. It would be their last advantage of the day, as the Captains took control over the final two frames.

Christopher Newport opened the sixth with another Hasty walk, her third of the game, and sophomore Jules Donnelly took over on the bases. After an infield pop-out, Greaver came to the plate and reached base on an error. Helmer then followed with her second single of the afternoon to load the bases. Freshman Meredith Brickner was called on to pinch hit, and sent a fly ball to center that was deep enough to score Donnelly from third for a sacrifice fly to tie the game, 2-2. Proctor then registered the go-ahead hit, a two-run double down the right-field line to plate both Greaver and Helmer to make it 4-2 Captains.

After CNU reliever Kate Alger wiggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the sixth, the Captains would add two insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Senior Caitlin Abernethy walked to open the inning, and senior Bailey Roberts singled to left. Donnelly then dropped a beautiful bunt that went for an infield single to load the bases. Sophomore Katie Currin smacked a shot up the middle that deflected off Berry reliever Blair Hall allowing Abernethy to cross the plate. CNU's final run came courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Helmer to make it 6-2. Alger then finished off the Vikings by stranding two more runners in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the 6-2 final, and record her first save of the season.

Martin's victory was not only her 20th of the year, but also her fifth this year since the start of the NCAA tournament. She yielded two runs on six hits over five innings, and struck out five while not allowing a walk. Alger threw two innings, gave up no runs on three hits, and notched a strikeout and no walks. Berry starter Hannah Gore took the loss to fall to 16-2 on the year. 

Christopher Newport struggled in the field, committing three errors for just the third time this season. CNU pitchers avoided further damage by stranding nine Berry baserunners. The Vikings out-hit the Captains for the day, 9-7, in the first meeting ever of the two programs.

The Captains will return to the Moyer Sports Complex as they play at 12 noon on Sunday against Texas Lutheran. The Bulldogs won two games on Saturday, eliminating both WPI and Salisbury after losing to Berry on Thursday. TLU is 45-4 on the season. Trine and Berry are the other two schools remaining in the quest for a National Championship. They will play at 2:30 p.m.