Box Score Burlington, N.C. – Erskine's Danica Newton (Mt. Pleasant, SC, Wando High School) lost a classic 1-0 pitcher's duel to #1 seed Limestone College, eliminating the Flying Fleet from the Conference Carolinas Softball Championship Tournament held at Springwood Park.
 
Limestone's Sam Thornton tallied the game's lone run in the first inning.  With one out, Thornton singled to right-center and moved to second on a passed ball.  After Newton got Bailie Maybry to fly out, Limestone's Alycia Stiles slipped a ball down the right field line just fair to score Thornton.  Neither pitcher would allow another run from that point.
 
Limestone pitcher Kelly Shearer limited the Erskine bats to just four hits in earning the complete game shutout.  She struck out four and did not issue a walk in earning the victory. 
 
Two of the Fleet's four hits were doubles by Lydia Trexler (Lexington, SC, White Knoll High School) and Christine Long (Greer, SC, Greer High School).  Trexler's double came in the third inning with two outs.  Shearer struck out Ashlyn Hicks (Caycee, SC, Brookland-Cayce High School) to end that threat.
 
In the fourth, Long led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on an infield single by Kathryn Windham (Manning, SC, Manning High School).  Again the Fleet could not pick up a key hit as Shearer retired the next three batters to squash the rally.
 
Newton gave up the one run, which was unearned, on eleven hits over seven innings.  She struck out three and did not allow a walk.
 
Newton weaved in and out of trouble for most of the game.   Limestone twice loaded the bases and failed to score.  In the fourth, the Saints strung together two seeing-eye singles and an infield single to load the bases with two outs.  Newton struck out Thornton to kill that rally.  Again in the sixth Limestone loaded the bases, this time with just one out.  Newton got Thornton to pop up to the shortstop for the second out then caught a break when Maybry's liner went straight to Windham in right field for the third out.
 
Limestone advances to face #2 King University on Sunday at 11:00 a.m.  The winner of that game will play the University of Mount Olive at 1:00 p.m. in the title game.