NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - It was a day of firsts for the fourth-ranked Christopher Newport softball program Wednesday, as the Captains won twice over North Carolina Wesleyan College. CNU took the opener, 3-1, and then closed out the nightcap in five innings due to the eight-run mercy rule, 9-0.

Freshman Jessie Kantor notched her first career victory in the opener, throwing four innings and allowing just one run on four hits while striking out four. Freshman Jules Donnelly clubbed her first career home run in the nightcap, a two-run blast in a five-run first inning of the second game.

The Captains improved to 11-3 on the season, and 11-1 at home, with the pair of victories on a sunny and pleasant day at Captains Park. The Bishops fell to 3-3 with the two defeats.

All of the scoring in the opener took place in the fourth inning. The Bishops broke the scoreless tie with a single run in the top of the frame, and the Captains answered with three in the bottom of the inning. Senior shortstop Natalie Carmichael blooped a double to right field to bring home the first two runs of the day for the Captains. Carmichael scored later in the inning on an errant throw by the Bishops to account for the 3-1 final.

Kantor threw four strong innings and was relieved by sophomore Gracie Vallejos, who tossed the final three innings to earn her first save of the season. Vallejos struck out five and allowed just one hit and no runs over the final three innings. Carmichael and junior Bailey Roberts had two hits each in the first game, each posting a single and a double. 

In the second game of the twin bill, Head Coach Keith Parr switched up several spots in the lineup, and the Captains responded. Christopher Newport scored five in the first and added four more in the second en route to the 9-0 final. Freshman Katie Currin opened the scoring with an RBI single, followed by an RBI double from Roberts. After junior Caroline Helmer drove home a run with a groundout, Donnelly stepped up and delivered the only home run of the day to cap off the five-run opening inning.

In the second frame, Currin knocked in two more runs with another single followed by an RBI single from Helmer. The scoring concluded when Donnelly was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to account for the 9-0 final verdict.

Vallejos started game two and threw two scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Senior Emily Weatherholtz entered in the third and recorded the final three scoreless frames to earn the win, and improve to 5-0 on the season.

Christopher Newport travels to Emory, Va., this weekend for four games. The squad will play doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday, taking on Emory & Henry and Transylvania once each day. The schedule begins with the Captains taking on Emory & Henry Saturday at 12:30 p.m.