Live Video  //  Live Stats

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - They've played 94 games over the years, and Friday afternoon two more are scheduled as the Christopher Newport University softball team travels to Virginia Beach to take on the Marlins of Virginia Wesleyan University. The doubleheader renewing the long rivalry is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. at Broyles Field.

Keith Parr's Captains are ranked fifth in the nation for the second straight week and are off to an 11-1 start to the season. CNU is currently on a seven-game winning streak, and most recently swept a twin bill Sunday over Marymount University. The Captains won both games over the Saints by 11-0 scores, and both were shortened to five innings due to the eight-run mercy rule.

Freshman leadoff hitter Candace Slaw continues to lead the Captains with a .488 batting average over the first dozen games. Slaw also tops the team with 20 base hits, 17 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases in 17 attempts. Senior second baseman Caroline Pollock leads the squad with three home runs and 16 runs batted in, and was named the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week this week. 

In the circle, junior Kate Alger is 5-1 with a 1.36 earned run average. Alger has struck out 45 batters in 36 innings, and has walked just four. She was named the C2C's Pitcher of the Week this week as well as the National Pitcher of the Week, and authored a five-inning no-hitter last Friday in a home victory over Elmira College.

Virginia Wesleyan is 7-3 to open the year and the Marlins are ranked 13th in the country. Brandon Elliott's team is coming off a sweep over Stockton University on Tuesday, 5-0 and 2-1. The games were the first home games of the season for the Marlins.

VWU leads the all-time series with the Captains, 51-43, but CNU has won six of the last eight games played in the series, which dates back to 1985. Christopher Newport has won NCAA Super Regionals over Virginia Wesleyan the last two seasons at Captains Park, taking two straight in 2022 en route to the National Championship...and last year winning two-of-three in the best-of-three series. 

Virginia Wesleyan will provide live video and live stats of the doubleheader on Friday, and the links are provided at the top of this story.

The Captains follow Friday's twin bill with a doubleheader next Tuesday at Bridgewater College, before returning to Captains Park to host NYU next Friday, March 22nd.