NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- No. 8 ranked Christopher Newport University produced late inning runs twice Sunday to help sweep a pair of softball games from Virginia Wesleyan College at Captains Park, 5-1 and 3-2.

With the score tied at 1-all after 4.5 innings in the opener, the Captains scored twice in the fifth inning to move in front.  Virginia Wesleyan fell 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth and CNU responded by putting two more runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning to open up a 5-1 lead.

The Marlins' All-American Tori Higginbotham (Glen Allen/J.R. Tucker) led off the top of the seventh with a double and rookie Kayla Malkos (Roanoke/Cave Spring) took a base after being hit by a pitch.  But, VWC was unable to send the runners in as CNU held on for the victory.

Sophomore All-American Kristina Karagiogis (Ashburn/Briar Woods) took the pitching loss after striking out five batters in six innings of work. She walked four and gave up eight hits.  Whitney Haller (Chester/Cosby) was the winning pitcher for CNU, striking out four and allowing seven hits.

Rookie Taylor Galvin (Virginia Beach/Kempsville) led VWC with a pair of hits.  Junior Lindsey Inzana (Chespeake/Grassfield) connected for a double. 

Chelsea Mitchell (Mechanicsville/Lee-Davis) belted a home run to lead CNU hitting, which included two hits by Meagan Jones (Chesterfield/Cosby).

Virginia Wesleyan jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second game, scoring both runs in the top of the first inning.  The Marlins used a double by Karagiorgis, two walks and a CNU to help score the runs.

The Marlins had chances to pull away in ensuing innings, but left two runs stranded in the second and two in the third.

CNU cut the lead in half with a run in the bottom of the fourth and took the win with a two-run seventh, aided by three hits and a VWC error.

Junior MacKenzie Creech (Hillsborough, N.C./Orange) took the loss for VWC, striking out three batters, walking four and giving up nine hits.  Melanie Hazelwood (Mechanicsville/Lee-Davis) was the winning pitcher for CNU, allowing just three hits and striking out one.

Karagiorgis' double highlighted hitting for VWC, while Kelley Foate (Richmond/Deep Run) belted out four hits for CNU.

Virginia Wesleyan competes again on Wednesday, Feb. 27, starting at 2 p.m. in a non-conference doubleheader with Averett University at Marlins Field.  The game was moved from its original date on Tuesday, Feb. 26, due to the forecast for steady rain.

--AMDG--