NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -  Christopher Newport University won twice Saturday afternoon at Captains Park, posting victories in the 2026 Cross Bay Bash Tournament. CNU won the opener over the University of Rochester, 11-2 in five innings, and then held off Southern Virginia University in the nightcap, 9-5. Keith Parr's squad improved to 8-4 with the wins.

CNU opened the day with an offensive outburst, scoring in each of the first four innings, and closing out the Yellow Jackets of Rochester in five innings, 11-2. The Captains scored five times in the third frame to put the game away. Candace Slaw, Olivia Miller, and Simone Thompson each registered two hits as the Captains scored 11 times while posting just seven base hits in all. Christopher Newport stole eight bases, with Slaw swiping two. Miller had the only extra-base hit of the day, a two-run double in the third inning. Slaw and Thompson each drove in two runs as Slaw recorded an RBI single as well as a sacrifice fly, and Thompson concluded the Captains scoring with a two-run single in the fourth.

Haylee Callahan pitched all five innings vs. Rochester in the first game of the day, improving her record to 3-1 with the victory. Callahan struck out three Yellow Jackets and scattered four hits over her five innings of work.

In game two, the Captains built an 8-0 lead before having to hold on for the 9-5 win over the Knights of Southern Virginia. CNU plated five runs in the first inning, but the Knights rallied with a four-run sixth frame to make things interesting.

CNU used the long ball to build the lead, knocking three home runs off SVU pitching. Isabel Hall and Simone Thompson went back-to-back with solo shots in the fourth to push the lead to 8-0, and Brooke Zuber added a solo shot in the sixth for an insurance run after the Knights had cut the lead to 8-5.

Thompson , Zuber, and Hall each had two hits in the game, and Thompson drove in three runs while Hall and Zuber brought home two each. Six of CNU's nine hits in the second game were of the extra base variety, with three doubles to go with the three dingers the Captains clobbered.

Cora Grace Sparger went the distance for CNU in the nightcap, upping her record to 4-2 with the win. Only one of the five runs allowed by Sparger was earned, as the Captains committed two miscues in the victory.

Thompson's total for the day showed her four-for-seven at the plate in the two wins, with three runs scored and five runs batted in. She logged a home run, double, and stolen base in the two wins by Christopher Newport.

Rochester fell to 3-2 with the loss to CNU, and Southern Virginia dropped to 3-11 following the defeat to the Captains on a mild and overcast day at Captains Park.

The Cross Bay Bash concludes on Sunday with three more games at Captains Park. Rochester will play Susquehanna University in the opening game at 11:00 a.m., and then the Captains will take on Rochester at 1:30 p.m. followed by CNU vs. Susquehanna at 4:00 p.m.