NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport University and Virginia Wesleyan University renewed their long-running rivalry on Wednesday at Captains Park, and the two Top 10 programs split a pair of games. The Captains captured the opener, 6-5, on a dramatic walk-off home run from freshman Ellie Post in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Marlins rebounded to come from behind to take the nightcap, 7-4.

The Captains, ranked second in the country, are now 7-3 to start the season. The Marlins, ranked sixth this week, left Newport News on Wednesday with a record of 8-4.

The opener saw Keith Parr's squad jump to an early 2-0 lead with a pair of runs crossing the plate in the first inning as Post singled with the bases full. The Captains would add single runs in the third and fourth frames to push the advantage to 4-0. Junior Caroline Pollock's sacrifice fly plated the third inning run, and sophomore Meredith Brickner doubled in the fourth for the fourth run. After both squads tallied a single run in the fifth to make it a 5-1 game, Virginia Wesleyan posted a four-run sixth, with three coming on a home from from Madison Hudson, to pull even at 5-5. 

Post, a freshman from Nokesville, Va., came to the plate to lead off the seventh, and smacked an Emily Seale pitch down the leftfield line that was ruled just inside the fair pole, giving the Captains the 6-5 final margin. The home run was the second of the season for Post, who finished the game two-for-three with three runs batted in. The winning shot made sophomore Kate Alger a winner, improving her record to 4-1 on the season. Alger went the distance and struck out six VWU hitters. 

In the nightcap, the Captains again would hold the lead, only to have the Marlins battle back. This time, however, there would be no comeback by CNU. After two early runs from the Marlins, including another home run from Madison Hudson, Christopher Newport registered a four-run fifth inning to jump in front, 4-2. Sophomore Sammy Drew got the scoring started with a triple, plating sophomore Brenna Morefield. Drew then came home on a double from junior Bianca Palmer-Scott to tie the game at 2-2.

Later in the big frame, junior Brooke Greaver blasted her fourth home run of the season, a two-run shot, to give the Captains a 4-2 lead. Sophomore left-hander Jamie Martin could not hold down the Marlins, though, in the late innings as VWU scored four in the sixth and another insurance run in the seventh for the 7-4 final. Martin, who went the distance, took the loss to fall to 3-2, allowing six earned runs while striking out five.

CNU and Virginia Wesleyan have now met 91 times in the all-time series, and VWU holds a 50-41 advantage overall.

The Captains will host a second Cross Bay Bash this weekend at Captains Park. CNU will take on Husson for two on Friday at Captains Park beginning at 2:30 p.m., and then will play twice on Saturday, with one game vs. Stockton at 12:30 p.m. and then another single game against Randolph-Macon at 5:30 p.m. Stockton will also play Randolph-Macon at Captains Park Saturday with a start time scheduled for 3:00 p.m.