NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - After the sixth-ranked Christopher Newport softball team dropped a hard-fought 5-4 decision to Emory & Henry in the season opener, CNU bounced back in the nightcap of Sunday's doubleheader with a 3-0 triumph to split the twin bill on a frigid Sunday afternoon at Captains Park.

Sophomore Maddie Hool kicked off the second game with her first collegiate home run, while Emily Weatherholtz quieted the opposition and fired a seven-inning shutout to earn the victory. Meanwhile Bailey Roberts punched a hit in both contests, including an RBI double, during a solid debut by the first-year standout.

Along with the stars in the nightcap, Caroline Helmer made some history in the opener when the freshman homered in her first collegiate plate appearance, making her the first Captain to accomplish that feat since Karlee Holzbach did it against Virginia Wesleyan on February 23, 2014.

Incredibly, after waiting five years to see another Captain homer in her first trip to the plate, the CNU faithful had to wait less than five minutes to see it again. Just 10 pitches after Helmer went deep, fellow first-year standout Sarah Proctor kicked off her career in identical fashion with a home run of her own.

In the opener on Sunday, Christopher Newport had to work out of a few early jams to keep Emory & Henry in check. The visitors put runners on the corners in the first with only one out, but Aubrey Bates struck out the next Wasp before Roberts flashed some leather at third. The freshman made a nice backhand stab on a shot down the line before firing a strike across the diamond to end the early threat. One inning later, after E&H managed to toss two runs on the board, Bates made a nice play on a come-backer to the circle to prevent any additional damage.

With the offense looking to find its groove, the freshmen jump-started the action in the third. Helmer opened the frame with a bullet over the fence in left center to cut the deficit in half. Next up, Proctor battled her way through the first nine pitches she saw before finally finding an offering she liked. The freshman dropped the hammer on the 10th pitch and sent it crashing down over the elevated fence in left to even the score at two.

Looking to grab a lead, Grace Wild slapped a single to left, stole second, and advanced to third on a hit by Roberts. Two batters later, Hasty skipped a single just inside the bag at third as the ball hugged the line and stayed fair for a well-placed RBI single, which gave the hosts a 3-2 lead.

Fighting back, Emory & Henry evened the score at three in the fifth before CNU broke the deadlock again in the bottom of the inning. After the Captains loaded the bases with one out, Hasty stepped up again and continued to carve up the Wasps with precision. The freshman pushed a roller towards the right side of the infield, which forced the pitcher to field the ball on the move. With only one play, the pitcher tossed to first, allowing Patty Maye Ohanian to scurry home with the go-ahead run.

Unfortunately, the Wasps continued the back-and-forth affair. In the top of the sixth, the visitors capitalized on a miscue by the Captains to plate a pair of unearned runs and snatch a 5-4 advantage.

Although the Captains managed to put two runners on base in both the sixth and seventh, Emory & Henry held up against the assault and stole the season-opening victory.

Bates finished the game with five strikeouts in a complete game effort, while Cameron Derr earned the win for the Wasps after tossing three innings of spotless work out of the bullpen.

Hoping to bounce back in the second game, Hool got the squad rolling. In the bottom of the first, Wild drew a walk before Hool stepped in. On a 1-2 offering, the sophomore turned on a pitch and yanked it over the rightfield fence, which handed the Captains an early 2-0 lead. Two innings later, after Hool's power put the hosts on the board, Natalie Carmichael's speed gave them a little more breathing room.

In the bottom of the third, after Calah Savage ripped a single, Carmichael came in to pinch run. Showcasing her wheels, the sophomore took off like a rocket after Roberts lined a ball to left center. Bolting around the bases, she eventually came all the way around to score from first to grab a 3-0 advantage.

The three-run lead was all Weatherholtz needed. Making quick work of the opposition, she struck out at least one batter in six of the seven frames, including a pair during a flawless second inning. Along with the strikeouts, she also kept the Wasps from making solid contact throughout the contest. Of the 21 total outs that she recorded, only three were on balls that left the infield. Hasty was especially busy at third base, snagging three pop ups while retiring four batters on ground balls.

Although Emory & Henry tried to make the game interesting in the seventh, the Captains held on. After two batters reached base in the final inning, Weatherholtz struck out the next Wasp. Following an error that loaded the bases, Wild made a nice play on a sharply hit ball to her left at second base to end the last threat.

Weatherholtz finished with seven strikeouts during her complete game gem, while Alex Braun took the loss despite allowing just five hits over six solid frames for Emory & Henry. On the offensive side, Hool and Savage both had a pair of hits for the Captains.

Christopher Newport will return to action on February 17 when CNU hosts Richard Bland in an exhibition doubleheader at Captains Park.

---CNU---