BURLINGTON, N.C. E Shenandoah University eliminated both Christopher Newport University and its longest conference losing streak with a 4-3 win over the Lady Captains at the USA South Conference softball tournament.

The win is the first-ever for Shenandoah (14-22) against CNU (23-17). The Hornets had lost 35 straight games to the Lady Captains dating back to when SU joined the league for the 1994 season.

The win earns Coach Marlena Kotynskiís club a 1:00 contest against Ferrum College. The winner of this elimination game gets the winner of the Averett/NC Wesleyan winner in the loserís bracket semi-final. This game will be played at 5:00 Friday.

The Hornets got the win with two-outs in the bottom of the seventh inning when Alicia Sanders led off with a single up the middle, was sacrificed to second and moved to third on a groundout by Tana Bartek. Shortstop Jessica Bollinger then knocked a shot off of CNU pitcher Lindsay Kelly, who had the ball go off her glove and towards third base. 

Bollinger reached first without a throw as Sanders scampered across home plate for the game-winning run.

Bartek (4-10) earned the win after both starting and finishing the contest, but did not throw a complete game. Christopher Newport chased her with two runs on three hits in the top of the fourth, but the sophomore returned to the pitching circle to start the sixth.

CNU forced Bartekís exit with a two-out rally started by Andrea Rhode single to left. Susan Ishman plated pinch runner Megan England with a double into the gap in left center, and Rachel Clark drove in pinch runner Danielle Steel with a single to left. Kotynski then turned to freshman Katie Haskins, who induced Melanie Hose into an inning-ending groundball to second.

SU answered these two runs with two of its own in the bottom half of the inning. Catcher Catherine Beuerle drew a one-out walk and moved to second on Ashley Ballentine's single through the right side. After a Kristin Windle groundout to short that advanced both Beuerle and Ballentine 60 feet, freshman Mandy Reed singled up the middle to score Beuerle and Ballentine. Kelly (12-9) ended the rally one batter later by getting Sanders to foul out to third.

Sanders, Ballentine and Reed all had two hits for the Hornets, with Ishman and Hose doing the same for the Lady Captains. Bartek and Kelly both struck out three.

Box Score/Play by Play