By Rob Silsbee, CNU SID

BURLINGTON, N.C. -- Top-seeded Christopher Newport University sent No. 5 Shenandoah into the loser's bracket with a 3-1 win Friday afternoon at the 2011 USA South Conference softball Tournament.

CNU (30-8) advances to the winner's bracket final against Greensboro while Shenandoah (22-14) has an elimination game against the winner of the Averett/NC Wesleyan contest.

Both games are subject to the weather; heavy rains are forecast for the Burlington area beginning early Saturday morning.

After both teams went quietly, 1-2-3, in the first inning, both scored a run in the second. The Captains jumped on top with an RBI ground-rule double off the bat of second baseman Jennifer Falin to score pinch runner Hannah Martin. The Hornets answered in the bottom half after gettting a couple baserunners on a lead-off walk and a single. Ashley Plaugher had the walk and came around to score on a wild pitch to tie the game at 1-1. 

Shenandoah starter Brooke Over (15-7) matched Haller for the next three innings, allowing just two baserunners. Haller consistently worked her way out of jams, stranding seven SU baserunners including four in the middle three innings. 

In the top of the sixth inning, the CNU got back-to-back walks from seniors Ashley Mani and Jessie Atkinson before Lauren Rowley stepped in and drilled a hard shot to the left field wall to score the game-winning run with a double. Falin would step in next and hit a sacrifice fly for the final run of the game. 

The Hornets threatened again in the bottom of the sixth, putting two runners on with one out, but Haller got a ground out to the first baseman and then a strikeout to end the inning. She retired the side in the seventh to finish out the win. 

Haller improves to 15-3 after giving up seven hits and one earned run, striking out three. Offensively, the Captains were led by Rowley, who went 2-for-2 with an RBI double and Falin, driving in a pair with a 1-for-1 day at the plate. 

Shenandoah got two hits from Morgan Coble and one each from five different players. Over finished with four strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched with just three hits surrendered. 

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