MARSHALL, Texas — Runs were again at a premium Friday afternoon, as the season came to an end for the Christopher Newport University softball team. The Captains fell to Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference rival Salisbury University, 3-1, for their second defeat in as many days in the National Finals at Bell Park at Taylor Field.
After falling on Thursday to Berry College, 3-0, Head Coach Keith Parr jumbled his lineup against the Sea Gulls. Salisbury starter Lindsey Windsor still managed to hold the Captains to just one run on four hits, all singles, as CNU's quest to repeat as National Champions came to a halt.
"We knew this would be a tough battle, and we've had some great competition with Salisbury, but this just didn't go our way obviously," Parr said following the game. "We did some things to try to scratch some runs across, and give an opponent that we've played so much this year some different looks. I think we did a good job of attacking pitches, but just didn't get the results we were hoping for."
The Captains posted a final record of 31-13, while SU improved to 45-4 on the season after the battle on a scorching early afternoon that saw temperatures rise into the low 90's. Salisbury will advance in the eight-team final after scoring three times on four hits off CNU starter Jamie Martin, who took the loss to fall to 11-6. Martin allowed just four hits in six innings, with three strikeouts and two walks.
Salisbury opened the scoring with a solo home run off the bat of senior Madi Lemon in the third inning. The Gulls added another in the frame when sophomore Carrie Jacoby doubled home Windsor, who had reached on a walk.
The Captains responded in the fourth by scoring their only run in the two games in the Lone Star State. Senior Nicole Apai, who opened the frame with a single to center, scampered home on a wild pitch to cut the Gulls lead to 3-1. Salisbury added an insurance run in the fifth on an RBI single off the bat of senior Abby Mace to account for the 3-1 final verdict.
The two C2C rivals have now played 99 games in the all-time series, and the Captains hold a 49-48 edge with two ties. Salisbury won five of six meetings this year, after the Captains won all four head-to-head tilts last season during a 47-1 campaign that saw Christopher Newport win its first National Championship.
"This is a special group, and I'm so proud of all we've accomplished," Parr continued after the game. "Our four seniors, Nicole Apai, Kensley Hess, Bianca Palmer-Scott, and Abby Rochette, gave us great leadership and were a big part of our recent success. We will certainly miss them, and I know they will take with them some amazing memories."
"We're all going to miss being a part of this program," Rochette concluded. "We have a National Championship ring, and not many student-athletes can say that. We're a part of a big family, and we've got friends for life, and I think that's the biggest thing we can take from it."
