ETTRICK, Va. – Korey Hill (Fr./Virginia Beach, Va.) went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and hurled a five-hitter in five innings as Saint Augustine's University advanced to the CIAA softball finals for the first time in recent memory with an 11-2 victory over Virginia Union University in the elimination round on the Virginia State University campus Friday, April 18, 2014.

The Lady Falcons face Southern Division rival Winston-Salem State University for the championship Saturday, April 19 at 12 p.m. The Lady Rams are the top seed and the Lady Falcons are the second seed in the division. The Lady Falcons need two victories in the double-elimination tournament to win the CIAA crown.

The championship appearance is the first for the Lady Falcons (18-20 overall) under third-year Head Coach Nikki Bynum Bumpass, who guided the St. Aug volleyball team to the 2011 CIAA championship. The Lady Falcons will be shooting for their first CIAA championship since 1989.

Hill was one of four Lady Falcons to drive in two runs against Virginia Union. The others were Ashia Nicholson (Jr./Asheboro, NC), All-CIAA player Michelle Shackelford (Sr./Bowie, MD), and LaKeisha Ford (Sr./Madison Heights, VA). Nicholson hit a triple along with Cierra Neal (Jr./New Hill, NC) and Taylor Walters (Jr./Douglasville, GA).
Hill struck out five and walked three to earn the pitching win. The game was stopped after five innings due to the eight-run mercy rule.

The Lady Falcons scored six runs in the first inning to take a 6-0 lead. All-CIAA rookie Meranda Zanni (Fr./Phoenix, OR) started the scoring with a single which scored Neal. Daja White (Soph./Leland, NC) scored on a bases-loaded walk to Hill, and Shackelford hit a two-run double to score Jo'Landa White (Jr./Leland, NC) and Hannah Stutts (Jr./Statesville, NC). Ford's two-RBI single scored Hill and Shackelford.

The Lady Panthers scored one run in the second inning, but the Lady Falcons added another run in the third when Jo'Landa White scored.

The Lady Falcons put the game away with four runs in the fourth inning for an 11-1 lead. Daja White doubled to score Neal, and Nicholson smacked a two-run triple to score Daja and Jo'Landa White. Hill singled to score Nicholson. The Lady Panthers added another run but would get no closer.

The Lady Falcons defeated Virginia Union for the second time in the tournament. They won 17-5 in a first-round game on Thursday. The Lady Falcons were 3-0 against the Lady Panthers this season by a combined score of 44-10.

A 4-1 loss to Winston-Salem State earlier in the day sent the Lady Falcons to the elimination bracket, where they played Virginia Union. Their only run came on a single by Walters which cut the deficit to 3-1. After Walters drove in Neal, Winston-Salem State scored in the bottom half of the sixth for the final margin.

The Lady Falcons split the regular-season series 1-1 against Winston-Salem State. They won the first game 6-3 and lost the second game 6-3 April 9 in Raleigh, N.C.