NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport University won both ends of a non-conference softball doubleheader Wednesday afternoon, beating Bridgewater College by scores of 5-1 and 6-0. The victories send the 14th-ranked Captains to next week's Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Tournament with a 26-10 record and a four-game winning streak.

Senior Patty Maye Ohanian, a two-time All-American, led the way at the plate for CNU, blasting home runs in both games and driving in four of the 11 runs scored in the twin bill. The Captains also got strong pitching efforts in both games from starters Emily Weatherholtz and Gracie Vallejos, who combined to pitch scoreless softball and allow just three total hits to the Eagles.

Keith Parr's team opened play on a sunny and warm day at Fulk Field in Bridgewater by plating two unearned runs in the top of the first inning, and never looked back. Ohanian smacked her first home run of the day in the third inning of the opener, a solo shot, and junior Caitlin Abernethy drove home a run with a single later in the third frame to open up a 4-0 lead. Junior Kaitlyn Hasty's double in the fifth also produced a run for a 5-0 lead, before the Eagles pushed across their only run of the day in the sixth for the 5-1 final verdict.

Weatherholtz, who threw a five inning no-hitter last Saturday against Mary Washington, sailed through the first four innings before being pulled. The senior righthander gave up no runs and just two hits while striking out three as she improved her record to 13-3 on the season.

In the second game, the Captains again scored a pair of runs in the top of the first to grab control of the game. They would later score four more in the sixth for a 6-0 final. Vallejos, a sophomore, was terrific in the pitching circle, yielding no runs and just one hit while striking out a dozen. She improved her record to 12-5 with the stellar effort, and lowered her season earned run average to 1.61.

Junior Bailey Roberts singled in the first to drive home the first run for CNU, and then Ohanian continued her big day by plating a run thanks to a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0. The four-run sixth inning was highlighted by Ohanian's second home run of the day, a two-run shot, to put the Captains up by a 4-0 margin. Freshman Hannah Smith was called on to pinch hit in the sixth, and delivered a two-run double to cement the 6-0 final. The double was Smith's first hit as a Captain, and her first two runs batted in.

Ohanian's two home runs Wednesday now give her five for the season and 36 for her career, third all-time in CNU history behind Jessie Atkinson (43) and Sabrina Hill (40). Her four runs batted in also move her into third-place all-time with 148, behind only Hill (191) and Atkinson (171). Ohanian finished the day Wednesday four-for-seven at the plate with a single, double, two home runs, two runs scored, four runs batted in, and a sacrifice fly.

Vallejos' 12 strikeouts in game two of the doubleheader now give her 134 for the season, sixth-most in a single season in CNU history. It's the most strikeouts in a game for a Christopher Newport pitcher since Kristen Rowe struck out 13 batters in a game in 2010. Vallejos was relieved by freshman Jessie Kantor, who pitched the final inning and struck out two Eagles. The 16 combined strikeouts is the most in a game by CNU since the 2005 season, when Captains pitching struck out 16 against SUNY-Oneonta. 

Bridgewater fell to 11-13 as the Eagles concluded their regular season schedule as well. BC will open play Friday in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference softball tournament.

The Captains, who are ranked 14th in the country for the second straight week this week, will open play in the first-ever Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Tournament next week. Christopher Newport is set to open play in the tourney next Thursday, May 6th, in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Play will continue in Waukesha through the Championship, which is scheduled for Saturday, May 8th. Continue following CNUsports.com for game times, opponents, and further tournament information.