NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - The 2018 season came to a close Sunday afternoon for Christopher Newport, as the 11th-ranked Captains fell to top-ranked Virginia Wesleyan, 7-2, at Captains Park in the Newport News Regional Final of the NCAA Tournament. The Marlins, defending National Champions, advance to the best-of-three Super Regional round next weekend vs. Berry College at a site to be determined.

The Captains, appearing in their 12th straight NCAA tourney, grabbed a 2-1 lead only to see the Marlins score three times in the fifth inning and three more times in the sixth frame. Sophomore Hanna Hull went the distance for the Marlins, raising her record to 33-2 on the season as the Marlins improved to 48-2. Keith Parr's squad left ten runners on base, and finished the season with a 37-10 record.

The Captains opened the scoring in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly off the bat of sophomore first baseman Calah Savage. After the Marlins pulled even at 1-1 with a run in the bottom of the third, CNU jumped back ahead thanks to a solo home run from freshman Patty Maye Ohanian, her 12th of the season and fourth of the regional in as many games. Ohanian also started in the pitching circle for CNU, and took the loss to finish the year 5-2...allowing four runs in five innings of work on a sunny and pleasant day at Captains Park.

Virginia Wesleyan senior first baseman Cassetty Howerin was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Regional, going four-for-eight over the weekend and driving in six runs. Three other Marlins were named to the All-Regional squad; sophomore pitcher Hanna Hull, freshman second baseman Katelyn Biando, who drove in three runs on Sunday, and senior shortstop Kiersten Richardson.

CNU placed three on the All-Regional squad; senior shortstop Rachael Payne, senior centerfielder Leah Andrews, and Ohanian. The squad also included sophomore outfielders Taylor Doi and Rachel Julie from Gettysburg College and Messiah sophomore infielder Samantha Esper.

As the season came to a close, freshman Patty Maye Ohanian and senior Leah Andrews secured new school single-season records for the Captains. Ohanian set new school marks for runs batted in (68), as well as hits (75) and finished with the second-highest batting average in the history of the program, .484. She presently leads the nation with her 68 runs batted in, and will carry a 27-game hitting streak into next season, just five off the school record of 32. Andrews, meanwhile, concluded her career by scoring more runs in a season than anyone ever before, 63, and posted a new season-high total for doubles with 22.

The loss capped the careers of five senior CNU student/athletes. Leah Andrews, Rachael Payne, Savannah Couch, Abby Eichelberger, and Morgan Wooddell made up CNU's senior class, a group that advanced to the NCAA's all four years and compiled a record of 136-38. Christopher Newport has won 30 or more games in each of the last 12 seasons, and the Captains are the only team in the country to advance to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last dozens seasons.