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NORFOLK, Va. (May 13) - The Saint Vincent College softball team shocked #1 Virginia Wesleyan 2-0 in the Bearcats' opening game of NCAA Division III Regional Tournament play. 

The Bearcats advance to face Haverford College (25-19) on Saturday (May 14) at 11 a.m. in the winner's bracket contest. The host Marlins fall to an elimination game against #2 Salisbury University at 1:30 p.m. in the double-elimination regional tournament. Haverford also scored a major upset, earning a 1-0 victory over the Sea Gulls (34-5) in the opening game of play on Friday. 

Saint Vincent improves to 29-13 overall while Virginia Wesleyan falls to 38-6 in 2016. 

The victory was the first NCAA Tournament win in any sport for Saint Vincent College.

Junior pitcher Samantha Emert extended her scoreless innings streak to 22, blanking the #1 ranked Marlins in the complete game shutout. Emert scattered four hits and struck out five, as she improved her season record to 18-6 with her fourth straight victory.

Saint Vincent, held hitless for the first six innings, broke through in the top of the seventh inning with a pair of runs. Sophomore Shelby Noel led off the inning with an infield single. After failing to get a sacrifice bunt down, sophomore Emily Duerr laced a two-strike pitch to the left center field gap to score Noel. Emert then added an RBI single up the middle to score Duerr from second base, making it 2-0 Bearcats. SVC loaded the bases to attempt to add more insurance runs by the Marlins escaped. Emert retired the side in the bottom half of the frame to ensure the victory for SVC. 

Both teams finished with four hits each but Virginia Wesleyan committed three errors on defense. Marlins first baseman Cassetty Howerin led the way for Wesleyan with two hits.