By Drew Wilson, Averett SID

BURLINGTON, N.C. - — No. 1/1 and Top-seed Shenandoah University battled back from a five-run deficit  to beat No. 3 seed Methodist University 10-7 in a USA South Conference Tournament elimination game Sunday at Burlington Athletic Stadium.

Shenandoah (31-3) advances to the championship game against No. 2 seed Christopher Newport University 30 minutes after knocking off Methodist (27-13). If the Hornets defeat CNU, the two will play a second game to decide the champion.

Down 6-1 heading into the fifth, the SU offense came alive. Kevin Brashears drove in a run with a triple, and Cory Nelson smashed a two-run homer as the Hornets closed the gap to 6-5 with a four-spot. Things continued to click for Shenandoah an inning later. A Monarchs error allowed the Hornets to tie the game and Brashears gave them their first lead, 8-6, with a two-run bomb to left.

Shenandoah allowed just one more run the rest of the way to earn a rematch with No. 4/4 Christopher Newport, who handed the Hornets their only loss in the double-elimination tournament.

The rally was necessary as Methodist used a Trey Such two-run blast —in the bottom of the first inning followed by a Sean Lovette solo shot to give the Monarchs a 3-0 lead.

SU responded in the top of the second with a solo home run from Clint DeHaven, but the Hornets gave the run right back. Methodist''s Tyler Younger singled, stole second and scored on Trey Lancaster''s line single over the shortstop' Kurt Krout's head.

The Monarchs increased their lead to 6-1 thanks to a Shenandoah mishap in the fourth. Second baseman Dustin Brown doubled down the left field line with two out, and a throwing error allowed him to score and kept the inning alive. Lancaster, who reached on the error and advanced to second, came home on Sergio Davis' RBI single to right to push the MU lead to 6-1.

Things, however, fell apart soon after for Methodist as Shenandoah scored nine runs over the next four innings to pull away.

Brashears finished 3-for-4, missing the cycle by a double. DeHaven added a second solo homer in the eighth inning to finish 3-for-5.

Jeff Stanek (1-0) picked up the win in two innings of relief, and Kyle Scallion earned the save. For Scallion, the save is his third of the tournament.

For Methodist, Sergio Davis and Lovette both went 3-for-4 for the Monarchs.