NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport had its 12-game winning streak snapped Wednesday as Virginia Wesleyan, the top team in the country, defeated the Captains in both games of a doubleheader at Captains Park. The Marlins, last year's National Champions in Division III, captured the opener, 11-1 in six innings, and then pulled out the nightcap, 5-4.

Virginia Wesleyan improved to 30-0 with the victories, while Christopher Newport fell to 21-5. The Marlins, who were 54-3 a year ago with one of the losses coming to the Captains, are now 84-3 over the last two seasons.

Senior Amy Large led the way for the Marlins, crushing three home runs in the twin bill. The VWU designated hitter smacked a three-run shot in the sixth inning of the opener to provide the differential to end the game early due to the eight-run mercy rule. She then followed with two blasts in the second game, a two-run shot in the second inning as well as the game-deciding solo shot in the seventh to give the Marlins the 5-4 decision.

The opener was tied, 1-1, when the Marlins exploded for six runs in the fourth inning and cruised to the victory. CNU Sophomore starter Aubrey Bates suffered her first loss of the season, falling to 9-1, after allowing eight runs, three earned, in five innings of work. 

In the back-and-forth nightcap, all five Marlins runs came by virtue of three home runs, two off the bat of Large. The Captains got big hits from sophomore Liz Andrews, who doubled home a run in the first inning, and freshman Patty Maye Ohanian, who singled home a run in the second inning and then cracked her fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot in the sixth that evened the game at 4-4. Ohanian relieved starter Laura Kate Moss in the pitching circle in the sixth inning, and suffered her first loss of the season to fall to 3-1.

Hanna Hull picked up victories in both games for the Marlins, and the sophomore left-hander is now 22-0 on the season. Hull started the opener and pitched five frames, striking out nine. She entered the nightcap in relief, throwing the final two innings to complete the sweep.

CNU is ranked fourth in the nation for the second straight week in a poll released Wednesday morning by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). The Captains have five doubleheaders remaining in the regular season, all in Capital Athletic Conference play. Head Coach Keith Parr announced a change in the schedule for this weekend's games in Pennsylvania due to weather concerns. The Captains will now play on Friday in York, Pa., against the Spartans in a CAC doubleheader, and then play as scheduled on Saturday at Penn State-Harrisburg in Middletown, Pa.