NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport and Salisbury renew their long-running rivalry Saturday, as the teams square off for a Capital Athletic Conference softball doubleheader. Game time is set for 1:30 p.m. for game one of the twin bill.

Keith Parr's Captains have won their last nine games, and 12 of their last 13. CNU leads the CAC with an 8-0 league mark, and the Captains are 23-7 overall.

Christopher Newport is coming off a convincing sweep Wednesday over Mary Washington at Captains Park. CNU closed out both games in five innings thanks to the eight-run rule...winning the opener, 10-2, and then taking the nightcap, 9-1.

The Captains have four players hitting over the .400 mark for the season, led by junior shortstop Rachael Payne, who has raised her average to .457 for the season and has posted a team-high 43 base hits. Freshman Calah Savage (.423), senior Jenna Sprinkle (.404), and freshman Grace Wild (.402) are also presently hitting over .400. Wild tops the team with 11 doubles and 11 stolen bases, while Sprinkle leads the squad with 30 runs batted in. Junior leftfielder Leah Andrews has the team lead in home runs with five and runs scored with 36. 

In the pitching circle, senior Maiven McKnight has registered a 9-0 record with a 2.66 earned run average. Freshman Aubrey Bates is 8-2 with a 1.68 ERA, and senior Tara Heatwole is 6-5 with a 2.36 ERA.

Salisbury has a 17-13 overall record, and the Sea Gulls are 6-2 in league action, two games back of the Captains. Salisbury shut out Wesley twice on Wednesday by scores of 1-0 and 2-0, and the Sea Gulls have now won eight of their last nine contests.

Christopher Newport and Salisbury have a long-running and remarkable series which dates back to the 1989 season. The squads have played 72 games over the years, and both have won 35 times with two ties. Last year, the teams split a doubleheader at Captains Park during the regular season. They met again in the CAC Tournament twice at Salisbury, with the Sea gulls winning, 7-3,  and 2-1 in the championship game.

Live video and stats will be available Saturday at CNUsports.com/live shortly before 1:30 p.m.