NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport University recorded back-to-back shutout victories on Friday to open a busy weekend for the second-ranked softball squad. Keith Parr's team defeated Husson University by scores of 4-0 and 8-0 at Captains Park to improve to 9-3 on the season.Sophomore pitchers Kate Alger and Jamie Martin posted the victories after allowing no runs on just eight hits for the day. The second game was halted after five innings due to the eight-run mercy rule. 

While Alger and Martin performed admirably in the pitching circle, the Captains also delivered in the batter's box. CNU scored its dozen runs on 17 hits during the twin bill, which opened the second Cross Bay Bash of the season.

Sophomore Meredith Brickner delivered a first inning home run to open the day, and it turned out to be the only run Alger would need. The Captains would add two in the fifth and one in the sixth en route to the 4-0 victory. Junior Bianca Palmer-Scott and Brickner supplied the runs in the fifth, as Palmer-Scott dropped a bunt single to score senior Kensley Hess and Brickner crushed a double to center to score sophomore Sammy Drew. In the sixth, CNU added an insurance run when senior Abby Rochette rocked a home run to right-center field for the final run of the game.

Alger, who improved her record to 5-1 for the year, went the distance and yielded just three singles and a walk while striking out 14 Husson batters. 

In the nightcap, the Captains blew open a 2-0 lead by plating six runs in the fifth inning to close out Husson. Junior Brooke Greaver delivered the big blow, crushing a three-run home run in the big inning, her fifth long ball of the season. Greaver upped her RBI total to 15 thanks to the three-run blast. Junior Brooke Childress, junior Katie Currin, and sophomore Kendall Bentley then came to the plate in succession, and each delivered a run-scoring double to push the lead to 8-0 and end the day at Captains Park. Husson fell to 6-8 following the two losses.

Lefthander Jamie Martin pitched all five innings, and earned her fourth victory against two losses this season. Martin gave up no runs on five hits and struck out four.

The Captains will play twice on Saturday as the Cross Bay Bash continues, 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.