NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Runs were hard to come by Tuesday as Christopher Newport University and Roanoke College split a softball doubleheader at the Botetourt Softball Complex in Daleville, Va. The Maroons took the opener by a 2-0 score, and the Captains bounced back to record a 1-0 victory in the nightcap.

Christopher Newport's lone run of the afternoon came in the third inning of game two when sophomore Kendall Bentley singled through the left side with two outs. Junior Brooke Greaver followed with a base hit down the rightfield line, advancing Bentley to third. Sophomore Brenna Morefield entered the game as a pinch-runner for Greaver, and stole second, as Bentley scampered home from third on the double steal attempt. It would prove to be enough for CNU to gain the split.

The Captains registered just eight hits for the day, three in the opener and five in the second game. Senior Nicole Apai had two singles in the first game, and Greaver doubled in the opener, and then added the single in the nightcap to set up CNU's only run of the day.

CNU's sophomore pitching tandem of Kate Alger and Jamie Martin were both again dominant. Alger fell to 12-3 on the year in the opener by allowing two runs on four hits in six innings of work. She struck out four, didn't walk a batter, and suffered  just one bad inning, as she gave up three of the four hits in the third. A two-run double from Roanoke's Morgan Clarke proved to be all the Maroons would need.

Martin then followed with a sparkling performance of her own, going the distance in the nightcap by throwing shutout ball for the Captains, and yielding just four hits while striking out seven and walking one. She stranded six Roanoke runners on base as she upped her record to 8-2 with the victory.

Keith Parr's team, now ranked sixth in the country this week, improved to 24-6 with the win in the second game. The Maroons are now 18-10 following the split.

Christopher Newport is scheduled to end the regular season on Sunday, as the Captains travel to Salisbury University to take on the top-ranked Sea Gulls. Game time is set for 1:30 p.m.