LYNCHBURG, Va. - Christopher Newport University powered its way to a doubleheader sweep Wednesday afternoon at Randolph College, blasting five home runs en route to 18-5 and 8-1 victories over the WildCats. The Captains, ranked 15th in the country this week, improved to 12-4 on the season, and have now won nine straight games after a 3-4 start to the season.
CNU smacked two home runs in the opener, and left the park three more times in the nightcap...scoring 26 runs on 31 hits in the convincing victories.
Keith Parr's squad registered ten extra-base hits in the twin bill, with five doubles to go with the five round-trippers.
The Captains began the day by scoring runs in every inning of the opener, including a nine-run outburst in the top of the fifth frame as Christopher Newport coasted to the 18-5 triumph. The game was halted after five innings due to the eight-run mercy rule.
Natalie Quinlan hit the first homer of the day, a two-run shot in the fifth inning, and
Brooke Zuber concluded the scoring in game one by posting a three-run blast in the fifth.
Olivia Miller was four-for-four, scoring three runs and driving home four runs in the first game, and
Candace Slaw recorded three hits in four trips to the plate, also driving in four runs and scoring twice.
Alexah Gordon also contributed three singles and stole two bases as the Captains scored 18 times on 18 hits.
Haylee Callahan went the distance for the Captains in the pitching circle, and earned the victory to improve to 5-1 for the season.
In the nightcap, the home run barrage picked up as CNU cleared the fence three times in an 8-1 triumph. After Randolph opened the scoring with a run in the first, Miller started the scoring for the Captains with a two-run shot in second, and Quinlan crushed her second two-run shot of the day in the third.
Isabel Hall circled the bases with a solo home run in the fifth as CNU again pulled away from the WildCats.
Cora Grace Sparger allowed just one unearned run on four hits while striking out eight in the circle, and upped her record to 6-2 with the victory.
For the day, Miller was six-for-seven with six RBI and four runs scored. Slaw was five-for-nine with four RBI and three runs scored. Zuber logged three hits in seven trips and drove home 5 runs and scored twice. Hall totaled five hits in seven trips to the plate with two RBI and a run scored, and
Simone Thompson recorded four base hits in seven at bats with four runs scored and an RBI as the Captains improved to 15-0 all-time vs. Randolph.
CNU returns home on Friday to host Greensboro College in a 1:00 p.m. start at Captains Park.
