NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - In a clash of two top five softball powerhouses, Christopher Newport University split a doubleheader with Virginia Wesleyan University Friday on a sunny and mild spring day at Captains Park. The third-ranked Captains won the opener, 9-4, before the fifth-ranked Marlins came from behind to take the nightcap, 9-7.

CNU is now 27-3 on the year, while VWU is 32-3-1 following the split.

In game one, Christopher Newport senior outfielder Sammy Drew opened the scoring with a three-run home run in the third inning, her sixth long ball of the season. After the Marlins cut the Captains lead to 5-4 in the top of the sixth inning, fifth-year senior third baseman Brooke Greaver answered with a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth to provide the 9-4 final verdict. The blast was Greaver's 11th of the season, and 37th of her career. She is now tied with Patty Maye Ohanion for fourth place on the school's all-time home run list. Greaver has also now driven in 50 runs this season in 30 games, and moved into fourth place all-time with 159 RBI for her career.

Senior lefthander Jamie Martin went the distance in the opener, and earned the win to improve to 11-2 on the season. Martin allowed three earned runs and walked five, but struck out seven Marlins and stranded six runners. Her seven K's give her 501 for her career, and she becomes just the second pitcher in CNU history, joining teammate Kate Alger, to reach the 500-strikeout plateau in CNU softball history.

Virginia Wesleyan senior starter Lauren Bible took the loss in the opening game of the twin bill, her first of the season. CNU scored seven earned runs on nine hits in five innings off Bible, who fell to 18-1 on the season.

In the nightcap, the Captains got off to a great start, thanks again to powerful hitting. CNU scored the first six runs of the game on four home runs over the first four innings to grab a 6-0 edge. Again it was Drew getting things started, smacking a two-run home run in the first inning. It was her second of the day and seventh of the year. Sophomore Natalie Quinlan followed with a solo shot, also her seventh of the season, as the back-to-back blasts gave Christopher Newport a 3-0 advantage.

The Captains plated three more runs in the fourth frame with two more long-distance flies. Senior second baseman Olivia Tullous cracked a solo shot, her third of the season, and later in the inning sophomore centerfielder Candace Slaw crushed a two-run homer, also her third of the year, to push the lead to 6-0.

The Marlins, however, would find their big bats to mount a comeback. Virginia Wesleyan scored four times in the fifth frame to cut the lead to 6-5, and then homered three times in the top of the seventh to surge ahead, 9-6. Quinlan delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh for the Captains, but the rally would fall short and the Marlins held on for the 9-7 victory. Senior starter Kate Alger went the distance and suffered her first loss of the season to fall to 13-1. 

For the day, Drew ended up three-for-eight with three runs scored and five runs batted in. Quinlan and senior rightfielder Brenna Morefield each logged four hits as CNU posted 16 runs on 19 hits in the doubleheader.

The Captains won't have much time to think about the split, as they head right back into action on Saturday. CNU will travel to Lynchburg, Va., to take on the Hornets of the University of Lynchburg. Saturday's doubleheader is set to begin at 1:30 p.m.