VIRGINIA BEACH -- Virginia Wesleyan College's No. 10 ranked softball Marlins opened early leads against No. 17 Christopher Newport University on Sunday at Marlins Field and never trailed en route to posting a non-conference sweep.

Senior Season Dailey (Norfolk/Virginia Beach Frank W. Cox) ripped a first inning home run into the lef corner of the park to give the Marlins the lead in the first game and Kristina Karagiorgis (Ashburn/Briar Woods) andKayla Dost (Bristow/Nokesville Brentsville) belted back-to-back two-out RBI-singles to give the Marlins the lead in the second game.

Virginia Wesleyan protected the early leads with timely hitting, solid defense, and standout pitching en route to posting a 2-0 win in the opener and a 5-2 decision in the second game.  VWC improved its early-season record to 4-0, while the losses were the first of the season for CNU, which opened its 2014 campaign against VWC.

The Captains came out swinging in the opener and led off with a bunt single by Meagan Jones. A Marlin error and a single by Sabrina Hill (Stafford/Mountain View) put CNU in position for a big inning, but the threat was snuffed out when Dailey turned a double play on a force out at home with catcher Taylor Galvin (Virginia Beach/Kempsville).

VWC started the bottom of the first with a pair of fly balls for outs, before Dailey stepped up to the plate and delivered her smash to left field.

The Marlins came up with another defensive gem in the top of the second to ruin another CNU threat, as the Captains put two runners on.  CNU attempted a double steal, but while the Marlins were in a rundown between first and second, Dailey kept a watchful eye on the second runner and fired the ball home to Galvin to get the out and deny CNU a score.

VWC did find a run in the bottom of the second though, as Karagiorgis led off with a single up the middle, moved to second on a wild pitch, and advanced to third when rookie Blake Henderson (Virginia Beach/Ocean Lakes) hit to the shortstop who threw her out at first.  Galvin stepped up next and knocked the ball into center field for a sacrifice to score Karagiorgis for the 2-0 lead that held up the rest of the way.

Christopher Newport never threatened after that, as the Captains produced only two more baserunners, one each in the fourth and sixth innings.  In VWC's last four innings at bat, the Marlins had runners on three times, including bases loaded in the bottom of the third.

SeniorMacKenzie Creech (Hillsborough, N.C./Orange) posted the pitching win, working the distance and striking out three batters.  She walked only one and scattered five hits in the shutout.  Krista Lewis (Chesapeake/Hickory) notched the complete game for CNU, striking out four, walking one, and allowing four hits and two earned runs.

While Dailey's homer highlighted hitting for VWC, CNU was led by Hill with two hits, including a double.  Micah Kingston (Powhatan/Powhatan) also knocked a double for the Captains.

Game two saw VWC outhit the Captains 9-5, led by two singles each from senior Megan Zahnd (Chesapeake/Grassfield) and Dost. Karlee Holzbach (Poquoson/Poquoson) led CNU with two, including a two-out homer to left in the second inning.

That home run only dented a 2-0 Virginia Wesleyan lead produced in the first inning, helped by a walk to Courtney Bogan (Round Hill/Woodgrove).  She was the first runner on base for VWC and moved to second when Dailey joined her on the bags after being hit by a pitch.  CNU produced a second out to put a squeeze on the threat, but Karagiorgis and Dost emerged with their RBI singles to send in the runs for the Marlins.

Virginia Wesleyan moved into a 3-1 lead in the third inning when Bogan stole home.  She walked earlier and advanced to third on consecutive singles by Dailey andLindsey Inzana (Chesapeake/Grassfield).

The Marlins' lead extended to 4-1 in the fourth when senior Tori Higginbotham (Glen Allen/J.R. Tucker) connected for a two-out single that scored Dost.  Dost led off the inning with a single to left, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Galvin, and took third on Zahnd single.

CNU cut into the lead with a solo run in the top of the sixth when Hill hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Rachael Shiflett (Powhatan/Powhatan), who led off the inning by drawing a walk.  A single by Kristina McLaughlin (Virginia Beach/Ocean Lakes) moved Shiflett to third.

Virginia Wesleyan took the run back in the bottom of the sixth however, when Kayla Malkos (Roanoke/Cave Spring) stole home.  It was her third straight steal after reaching base on a CNU error.

Karagiorgis pitched all seven innings for VWC, striking out three and walking fur.  She scattered five hits and allowed two earned runs. Hanah Marshall (Powhatan/Powhatan) absorbed the loss, also pitching the entire game, striking out one, walking two, and give surrendering nine hits and five earned runs.

Virginia Wesleyan competes again on Tuesday, Feb. 25 in a non-conference doubleheader at North Carolina's Meredith College beginning at 1:30 p.m.

--AMDG--