BURLINGTON, N.C. -- The second-seeded Christopher Newport University Captains improved to 33-4 overall as they breezed past #3 Methodist University, 12-0, in the second game of the 2011 USA South Baseball Tournament.  Greg Goldsmith went the distance, giving up just three hits in seven innings of work with four strikeouts. 

The Captains now advance to play at 8:00 pm tonight with a championship game bid on the line.

All nine CNU starters reached base while eight Captains registered at least one run scored or RBI. Christopher Newport scored 12 runs on 11 hits, led by second baseman Matt Shoemaker.  Shoemaker went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in the sixth. Third baseman Luke Saunders drove in three while Shannon Mark and Billy Steel each scored three times.

Methodist threatened twice early, putting two runners on in the second and third innings, but Goldsmith got out of the early jam with a strikeout and a double play. Meanwhile, the Captains offense sparked in the fourth, putting two runs on the board.

Drue Vernon led off the inning with a double, followed by a base-hit bunt single from Shannon Mark. An RBI groundout from Saunders put CNU on the board first, followed by a Steven Lindemuth single to score Mark.

CNU tacked on another pair in the next inning as rookie Billy Steel led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo homer, his third of the season. Connor Madden followed the home run with a single, and came around to score on a single by Mark.

The Captains bats opened up in the next inning, scoring five runs in the bottom of the sixth. Shoemaker made the Methodist pitcher pay for an inning-opening walk with a two-run blast to give the Captains a 6-0 lead. CNU added three more in the frame as they earned five free passes in a row, including four walks and one hit-by-pitch, before the first out was recorded.

In the bottom of the seventh, CNU won the game with one out on the board as Ben Lenda hit a sacrifice fly for the 12th run of the game, scoring Madden.

On the hill for CNU, Goldsmith didn't need the support.  He was sensational for the Captains, allowing just three hits, including two singles in the sixth inning. He retired eight straight batters at one point and faced only four batters more than the minimum. He improves to 7-0 this season and sends CNU into the championship bracket semifinal tonight at 8:00 pm.

The Captains will face the winner of the #1 Shenandoah/#4 Averett matchup set to begin at 1:30 pm. Due to impending weather concerns, the game has been moved to 8:00 pm Friday night. The winner will advance to the championship game on Sunday.