GLASSBORO, N.J. — Christopher Newport University Head Coach Keith Parr registered his 700th career victory Thursday afternoon, as the third-ranked Captains won their 19th consecutive game. CNU beat Rowan University, 6-0, in the first game of a best-of-three NCAA Super Regional series at Rowan Softball Stadium.
The Captains, now 34-5, need just one win on Friday over the Profs to advance to the National Finals for the third straight season, and fifth time in program history. Nationals will take place beginning next Thursday in Marshal, Texas. Parr, who in his 21st season leading the Captains, has averaged over 33 wins per year and has his program in the NCAA Tournament for the 17th consecutive time.
CNU scored all six of its runs in the third inning, sending 11 batters to the plate, and junior lefthander Jamie Martin scattered five hits to the Profs while throwing her sixth shutout of the season. The Captains and the Profs are scheduled to begin play on Friday at 1:00 p.m.
Thursday's action was delayed for 90 minutes due to rain in South Jersey, but once the action began the sun came out and temperatures jumped into the upper 80's. Martin and Rowan starter Rylee Lutz both got off to good starts, as Martin retired the Profs over the first three frames by allowing two hits and stranding two runners on base. Lutz survived the first two innings by giving up two singles, and also stranding two base runners. But the tone of the game changed in the bottom of the third, as he Captains, home team in the game due to a higher seeding, jumped on Lutz by scoring six times on seven hits in the inning for what proved to be the only runs of the game.
Senior third baseman Brooke Greaver got the scoring started by delivering a two-run double, scoring junior shortstop Kendall Bentley and freshman centerfielder Candace Slaw, who had both singled and stolen a base to begin the big inning. Senior rightfielder Katie Currin brought home senior Delaney Nuckols with an RBI double after Nuckols had drawn a walk. Senior leftfielder Jules Donnelly also walked, and three run-scoring hits followed to make it 6-0. Senior second baseman Caroline Pollock hit an RBI single to left, followed by a run-scoring double from junior Meredith Brickner, and an RBI single from freshman catcher Maleah Maharty.
Martin, the Pitcher of the Year in the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference, then returned to the circle with a 6-0 advantage and held the Profs to just three hits the rest of the way, yielding just five total, four singles and a double. Martin struck out seven and walked two as she improved to 13-1 on the season. Lutz took the loss for Rowan to fall to 18-7 for the year.
The Captains ended up with 13 hits in the battle, with Slaw, the Rookie of the Year in the C2C, leading the way with a three-for-four day at the plate, raising her team-leading batting average to .486 for the season. Currin, Donnelly, and Brickner each recorded two hits for CNU. Greaver, who missed the first 12 games of the season due to injury, has now knocked in 29 runs in 27 games played since returning to the CNU lineup.
While Martin gave up five hits to the Profs, she did not allow more than one in any inning, and Rowan ended up stranding seven runners on base.
Rowan, now 37-8, had not lost a game at home all season, and the Profs are now 20-1 on their home field. CNU now leads the all-time series with the Profs, 9-5, heading in the second day of Super Regional play Friday at Rowan Softball Stadium.
Christopher Newport head coach Keith Parr wins 700th as Captains open NCAA Super Regional with 6-0 victory at Rowan
The Captains (34-5) need just one win on Friday over the Profs to advance to the National Finals for the third straight season and fifth time in program history.