EMORY, Va. - Christopher Newport's eighth-ranked softball squad registered two more victories Sunday, sweeping a doubleheader at Emory & Henry College. The Captains, who opened the 2020 season Saturday with two victories at Roanoke College, downed the Wasps by scores of 9-2 and 4-3.

The Captains jumped in front in the opener at Wasps Field by scoring six runs in the first inning and senior starter Aubrey Bates then sailed through six innings of work in the pitching circle. Bates, who opened the season Saturday by throwing a no-hitter, gave up no runs on just one hit with five strikeouts against the Wasps as she improved her record to 2-0. Bates yielded just one hit in 13 innings of work in her two weekend starts.

Sophomore Kaitlyn Hasty, last season's Capital Athletic Conference Rookie and Player of the Year, had four hits in nine at bats on Sunday, and got the scoring started with an RBI single in the first inning of the opener. Hasty later drove in two more runs with a single in the seventh inning, and smacked her first home run of the season in the nightcap. She ended up with four runs batted in for the afternoon.

Seniors Grace Wild and Tara Deck added to the big opening inning by recording run-scoring singles, with Wild driving in two and Deck plating the sixth run of the crazy frame. Sophomore Hannah Hummel also drove in a run for the Captains in the fourth inning with an RBI single.

For the second straight day, the Captains had to stage a comeback in the nightcap of the twin bill. Christopher Newport trailed, 3-2, after five innings but again could not be put away. The Captains plated two runs in the top of the sixth inning and then held off the Wasps, now 4-4, for the 4-3 victory. Christopher Newport evened the game as freshman Kensley Hess scored on a throwing error, and then went in front when sophomore Caitlin Abernethy delivered a sacrifice fly scoring junior Maddie Hool with what proved to be the winning run.

Freshman Gracie Vallejos earned the first save of her career by pitching the final two innings for the Captains, allowing no runs or hits and striking out five while yielding just one walk. Senior starter Trish Webb allowed just two earned runs over the first five innings and picked up the win.

Christopher Newport travels to Raleigh, North Carolina, next weekend for the Grand Slam Triangle Classic. The Captains will play Arcadia University Friday at 2:30 p.m. and then Piedmont College at 5:00 p.m. to get the three-day, six-game tourney started.