NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The nationally-ranked Captains softball team scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh to walk-off against No. 12 Moravian University on Saturday afternoon, 8-7, before dropping game two, 20-10, and earning a split against the Greyhounds (1-1) at Captains Park. The Captains improved to 3-1 overall this season and were led by a five-RBI day from sophomore Cora Thomas, including the game-winning base hit in game one. 

The top two hitters in the CNU lineup, Candace Slaw at leadoff and Thomas hitting in the two hole, combined to go 9-for-15 (.600) with three extra-base hits, 14 total bases, 5 RBI, 6 runs scored, 3 walks, and 4 stolen bases in the home doubleheader. Slaw was 4-for-7 with a pair of free passes to ignite the Captains offense as the table-setter and Thomas finished the day 5-for-8 with a homer, double, and three singles. 

The Captains were playing from behind throughout the day as Moravian jumped out to a 6-1 lead after two innings in game one. After adding one in the top of the fifth, CNU scored twice in the bottom half to set up the epic five-run rally in the bottom of the seventh to win, 8-7. 

After the Greyhounds took a 1-0 lead, Slaw and Thomas got things started for the Captains with a walk and a base hit into left field. After the duo added a double steal and Kimberly Jones walked to load the bases, it was patience by Simone Thompson that plated the first run of the game for CNU with an RBI walk to tie the game. 

Moravian scored five runs on three hits in the second to open up an early lead, and added another run in the fifth to pull ahead, 7-1. In the bottom of the fifth, Natalie Quinlan led off with a double and Jones stepped in to power a deep home run to right center field. The blast was negated on appeal, however, and resulted in an out at second base and just one run scored. Quickly making up for the lost run, Isabel Hall stepped in and delivered a solo shot to deep center field, trimming the lead to four, 7-3. 

The decisive final frame opened with a bang as Katrina Swan smacked a line-drive laser over the wall in left center on the first pitch of the seventh inning. Quinlan followed with a single and Jones kept her bat hot with a double to right field. Thompson singled in a run and forced Moravian to go to the bullpen. The line kept moving as Thompson advanced on a wild pitch and Hall picked up two more RBI with a hard-hit single up the middle, tying the game at seven-all. Aleigh Earp pinch ran at first base and Brooke Zuber stepped up for a one-out pinch hit appearance. The veteran turned on a pitch and singled through the right side to move Earp up to second and the rookie advanced to third when Slaw grounded out. In a tie game with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Thomas jumped on a 1-0 pitch and laced it inside the third-base bag to allow Earp to cruise home for the game-winning run. 

Haylee Callahan (1-0) picked up the win with a complete game effort for the Captains in the circle. She struck out four and allowed four earned runs on eight hits. 

In game two, the Captains struck first but Moravian put a big number on the board in the second and CNU was unable to climb out of the early hole. The Greyhounds scored in all but one inning and, despite 10 runs on 10 hits including four extra-base knocks, the Captains could not track down Moravian in a 20-10 loss. 

The home team took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Slaw singled and stole second base. Swan singled to put runners at the corners and, then, the pair executed a perfect double steal to get the Captains on the board. One batter later, Jones hit another long ball to right center and cleared the wall for a two-run homer. 

CNU scored twice more in the third when Slaw doubled and Thomas hit a two-run jack while the pair hooked up again in the fifth with a Slaw single and Thomas RBI double. 

In the sixth, the Captains closed the gap to just four, 14-10, with a four-run inning to make things interesting. CNU scored all four runs with two outs as Olivia Miller had an RBI single and another run came in on a wild pitch. Thomas then earned her fifth RBI of the day with a single to the hole at short and another run raced in on an errant throw. 

Unfortunately, the Greyhounds answered with six runs in the top of the seventh to extend the lead back to ten, 20-10, and closed out the win from there. Slaw finished game two 3-for-3 with four runs scored and a pair of stolen bases; Thomas was 3-for-4 with a run and 4 RBI. 

Christopher Newport will return to action this Tuesday, March 3 as the Captains face No. 2 Virginia Wesleyan on the road. First pitch in Virginia Beach is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.