NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport University swept a pair of Sunday afternoon games to conclude the Grand Slam Triangle Classic in Raleigh, N.C. The Captains, ranked ninth in the country, defeated William Peace University, 3-2, and then downed Sweet Briar College, 16-3, in a game shortened to five innings.

Keith Parr's squad improved to 6-4 on the season with the pair of wins. His squad opened the day with an exciting late comeback to post the 3-2 win over the Pacers of William Peace. CNU plated two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to jump in front, and Haylee Callahan pitched three scoreless innings to close out the game for her first save of the season. 

The Captains took an early lead when Cora Thomas delivered an RBI double in the bottom of the opening inning, scoring Candace Slaw with the day's first run. The Pacers bounced back to score single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 2-1 lead. In the bottom of the sixth frame, CNU took advantage of WPU miscues to claim the lead. Pinch runner Alexah Gordon, who entered the game after Natalie Quinlan opened the inning with a single, scored the tieing run when Mackenzie Sawonik reached base on an infield throwing error. Simone Thompson then scored what proved to be the winning run later in the inning on a wild pitch to provide the 3-2 final.

Freshman Cora Grace Sparger started both games in the pitching circle Sunday, and earned the victory in both ends of the twin bill. Sparger tossed the first four innings against William Peace, yielding just two runs on five hits, and then threw all five innings vs. Sweet Briar to conclude the day. In the nightcap, Sparger allowed just one earned run on four hits to improve her record to 3-2 on the season.

Sparger benefited from a 16-run, 15-hit attack in nightcap vs. Sweet Briar as the Captains cruised to a 16-3 triumph. Christopher Newport crushed five home runs en route to the five inning win, and freshman Olivia Miller led the way with a pair of two-run shots. Miller drove in five runs in all, and was joined in the home run barrage by Katrina Swan, Brooke Zuber, and Simone Thompson. Zuber opened the onslaught by cracking a grand slam in the first inning, and Thompson and Miller followed with two-run shots in the eight-run first frame. The Captains added five more in the second, and three runs in the fourth in the runaway win.

Christopher Newport will return to action in the Cross Bay Bash next weekend at Captains Park. CNU will play two games each day, taking on the University of Rochester (11:00 a.m.) and Southern Virginia University (4:00 p.m.) on Saturday, March 14th, and Rochester (1:30 p.m.) and Susquehanna University (4:00 p.m.) on Sunday, March 15th.