NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - The Christopher Newport University softball squad celebrated its seven seniors on Sunday, and then celebrated two more victories at Captains Park.
Keith Parr's squad defeated Meredith College by scores of 11-3 and 9-0, with both games going just five innings due to the eight-run mercy rule. The Captains are now 27-1 and improved their record at home to 15-0. Meredith fell to 17-9 on the year.
CNU, the top home run hitting team in the nation, crushed five more long balls in the twin bill, raising its season total to 52 over the first 28 games of the season. The Captains scored runs in nine of the ten innings played on a cool and breezy afternoon at Captains Park.
Senior Captains
Caitlin Abernethy,
Natalie Carmichael,
Kaitlyn Hasty,
Caroline Helmer,
Maddie Hool,
Sarah Proctor, and
Bailey Roberts were recognized for their outstanding careers on Senior Day. Following the pre-game ceremony to honor the seven seniors, freshman
Kate Alger took the circle and posted another gem. She earned the victory by throwing the first three innings, allowing no runs on three hits while striking out four and not issuing any walks. She improved to 11-0 for the season.
The Captains plated four runs in the first, added three more in the second, and then added single runs in the third and fourth frames to take a 9-0 lead. After the Avenging Angels broke through for three runs in the top of the fifth, the Captains closed out the game with two in the bottom of the fifth for the 11-3 final.
Sophomore
Katie Currin drove in three of the runs in the first game, recording a sacrifice fly in the first inning, an RBI single in the second, and then a solo home run in the fourth, her seventh of the season. Hasty added two runs with an RBI double in the first and a run-scoring single in the second. Abernethy, Proctor, and Hool each added two hits as the Captains posted a dozen hits in all to go with their 11 runs.
In the nightcap, the long ball took over for Christopher Newport as the Captains knocked four over the fence in the 9-0 final. Seven of the nine runs came courtesy of big flies. Sophomore
Brooke Greaver circled the bases twice after blasting a solo shot in the second inning and later a two-run shot in the third, giving her five round-trippers for the season. Hasty hit her nationwide-leading 15th of the season, a two-run bomb in the third frame, and the 49th of her CNU career, most ever in program history. Sophomore
Brooke Childress added a two-run blast in the fourth, her third of the year.
Freshman left-hander
Jamie Martin improved her record to 8-1 on the year by pitching four shutout innings, yielding just three hits and no walks while striking out five.
For the day, Christopher Newport scored 20 runs on 22 hits. The Captains return to action on Thursday, hosting the Pacers of William Peace University. The doubleheader will begin at 2:30 p.m. at Captains Park.
