BURLINGTON, N.C. -   No. 9/14 Shenandoah University won its eighth straight game Friday morning with a 17-4 blowout victory over Methodist in the second round of the USA South Conference Tournament.

Shenandoah (31-6) banged out 22 hits to send the Monarchs (24-10) into an elimination game this evening at 5:00 against Averett.

Two of those hits, including a home run, came off the bat of junior pitcher Greg Van Sickler.

Van Sickler improved to 7-1 this season with the complete game victory and helped himself with a solo home run to lead off the Hornets seventh. This is his second consecutive pitching start in which he has both homered and pitched a complete game.

Van Sickler allowed the four runs on 11 hits, did not walk a batter, struck out 10 and retired the final four MU hitters in order.

The complete game is the fifth of the season for the national pre-season Player of the Year /2010 USA South Conference Pitcher of the Year.

After Methodist took an early lead with a single run in the bottom of the first, SU answered with three in the second and five in the third.

The Hornets chased MU starter Sean Willingham (2-2) five batters into the third – Willingham departed having given up seven runs (six earned) on seven hits and two walks in 2.0 innings.

Senior Adam Delauter drove in the go-ahead run with a single to center to plate Cory Nelson from second; Nelson had led off the frame with a double to center.

Shenandoah sent 13 men to the plate in that fateful third with the first six reaching base safely and junior Mike Smith drove in what proved to be the game-winning run by drilling a 1-2 fastball down the leftfield line for a two-run double.

The Hornets turned the game into a rout with two runs each in the fifth, sixth and seventh and three runs in the ninth.

In addition to Van Sickler's home run, Kevin Brashears, Nelson and Smith took Methodist pitchers deep.

Brashears, Nelson, Smith, Delauter and Jon Holcomb all had three hits apiece for SU. All nine Hornets starters had at least one hit and seven of the nine had at least two.

Shenandoah's next game will be Saturday at noon against Christopher Newport. The Captains eliminated regular season champion N.C. Wesleyan Friday afternoon.

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