NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport University took both games of a softball twin bill on Sunday at Captains Park, beating Roanoke College by scores of 4-0 and 9-1. Keith Parr's team never trailed in the doubleheader and upped its record to 24-10, while the Maroons fell to 18-16 for the year.

Sophomore Caroline Alger pitched a complete game shutout in the opening game, yielding just two hits while striking out five and walking two. Alger improved to 4-0 on the season, pitching effectively through a light rain on a chilly and breezy day at Captains Park.

CNU scored all the runs it would need in the first inning, when junior Candace Slaw and sophomore Alexah Gordon logged back-to-back doubles to start the game. Gordon's two-bagger plated Slaw with the game's first run, and junior Simone Thompson's sacrifice fly brought home Gordon to make it 2-0. The Captains added two more in the third frame when Gordon opened the inning with a single, and came home on Thompson's tenth home run of the season. The blast moved Thompson into the team lead in the home run column, one ahead of Brooke Zuber's nine long balls.

In the nightcap, the weather improved a bit as the rain stopped and the skies brightened, The Captains enjoyed another solid pitching performance and closed out the Maroons in six innings, 9-1. Senior Mia Aiello, who was honored in Senior Day ceremonies prior to the start of the doubleheader, started in the circle and pitched all six innings in the victory. Aiello allowed just one run on three hits while striking out nine and walking just two. Aiello improved her record to 3-1 after being celebrated along with Isabel Hall as the only CNU softball senior student-athletes.

The top two hitters in the batting order, Slaw and Gordon, again registered a big game, with each posting two singles in the second game. Slaw was two-for-three with two runs scored and two stolen bases while Gordon was also two-for-three with three runs scored and four stolen bases. Junior catcher Natalie Quinlan posted a fourth inning solo home run, and the Captains scored three times in the sixth, closing out the game with a bases-loaded walk to provide the eight-run differential.

For the day, Gordon posted four hits in six at bats, scored five times, stole four bases, and drove in two runs.

The Captains have just two doubleheaders left in the regular season. CNU will travel to Fredericksburg, Va., next Saturday, April 25th, to take on the University of Mary Washington. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. CNU returns home to conclude the regular season at Captains Park on Sunday, May 3rd, vs. Salisbury University. The opening game of two is scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. start.

The Captains will then play in the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Tournament on Friday, May 8th, with the site and opponent to be determined.