FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - Freshman left-hander Jamie Martin wrapped up a stellar day in the pitching circle for the Captains Saturday, throwing her first career no-hitter as top-ranked Christopher Newport University swept a doubleheader at the University of Mary Washington. CNU won the opener, 6-0, and then took the nightcap over the Eagles, 4-0.

Martin, from Lorton, Va., faced just 22 batters in the second game of the twin bill, one more than the minimum. The only batter to reach base for the Eagles was the very first batter in the opening inning, Morgan Gilbert, who was hit by a pitch. Martin proceeded to retire the next 21 Mary Washington hitters to come to the plate, striking out ten, and completing her first career no-hitter and the first of the season for the Captains. In addition to her ten strikeouts, Martin retired three Eagles on ground outs and eight on pop ups or fly outs. Martin improved her record to 11-1 with the dominant performance.

At the plate, the Captains broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning when senior Maddie Hool singled home senior Sarah Proctor with an unearned run. Senior Bailey Roberts hit the only home run of the day, a solo shot, in the sixth inning, her ninth of the year. The Captains added an insurance run in the seventh, another unearned run, when junior Nicole Apai doubled home senior Natalie Carmichael to provide the 4-0 final verdict.

Prior to Martin's gem, CNU pitchers this season had recorded two one-hitters and eight two-hitters, including a combined two-hitter in the opening game victory Saturday over the Eagles. In that first game, fellow freshman starter Kate Alger threw three scoreless innings followed by junior Abby Rochette, who didn't allow a hit or run over the final four innings, as the Captains posted a 6-0 triumph. Alger earned the victory to improve her record to 12-0 for the year.

Christopher Newport broke onto the scoreboard in the top of the third when senior Kaitlyn Hasty doubled home seniors Caitlin Abernethy and Hool to give the Captains a 2-0 edge. CNU added three runs in the fourth thanks to an RBI single from Hool, a run-scoring groundout off the bat of Abernethy, and a sacrifice fly hit by Roberts. Freshamn Meredith Brickner plated the final run of the day with an RBI single in the fifth to produce the 6-0 final score. 

The Captains, top-ranked in the nation for the fourth straight week, are now 31-1 on the season, and the victories Saturday at Battleground Field came in the first Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference games of the season for CNU. Mary Washington fell to 18-21 overall and 0-4 in C2C play.

In all, CNU pitchers Alger, Rochette, and Martin yielded no runs, just two hits, struck out 19 and walked just three in the doubleheader sweep. Christopher Newport has now shut out its opponent 17 times this season.

The no-hitter by Martin was the first for the Captains since April 24th of last year, when senior pitcher Emily Weatherholtz threw a five inning no-hitter, ironically against Mary Washington, in the opening game of a Senior Day doubleheader at Captains Park. Saturday's effort by Martin marked the 29th perfect game or no-hitter in Christopher Newport softball program history.

Christopher Newport returns home on Wednesday to host the second-ranked Sea Gulls of Salisbury University. The Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference doubleheader is scheduled to start at 4:00 p.m. Wednesday at Captains Park, where CNU is 16-0 this season.