NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Christopher Newport University needed nine innings on Saturday, but completed a two-game sweep over Virginia Wesleyan University in the NCAA Division III Softball Championship. The 5-2 victory at Captains Park wrapped up the best-of-three Super Regional, and Keith Parr's squad will now advance to the National Finals next week in Salem, Va.
Freshman Meredith Brickner, called on to pinch hit in the ninth inning, crushed a three-run home run to provide the winning margin as the Captains won their 19th straight game. The blast was the second of the season for the Cherry Hill, N.J. native and 70th of the year for the Captains, breaking a school record of 69 set by the 2019 team.
CNU sophomore Katie Currin was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Super Regional, and freshman Kate Alger was selected the Most Outstanding Pitcher. The victory Saturday on a steamy afternoon at Captains Park matches CNU's all-time highest win total in a season with 42. Christopher Newport was 42-10 in the 2011 season.
The battle of Hampton Roads rivals featured two outstanding pitching performances for the second straight day. CNU's Alger, out of the lineup for over a month due to injury, returned to start for the Captains and threw eight strong innings. She improved her record to 13-0 on the season by allowing just one run on five hits while striking out six and walking four.
Virginia Wesleyan starter Emily Seale was also fantastic for the second straight day, holding the Captains to just one run over the first eight innings. Seale took the loss to fall to 22-6, and the ninth-ranked Marlins saw their season come to an end with a 36-13 record.
VWU, the home team in the game, broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth Saturday on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Haleigh Settle. The Captains bounced back in the top of the sixth to tie things up when sophomore Currin drove home junior Nicole Apai to tie the game at 1-1.
The game would stay tied until the top of the ninth inning when the Captains erupted for four runs. The first came home thanks to an RBI single from senior Caroline Helmer, plating junior Kensley Hess, who had entered the game as a pinch runner. Brickner then came to the plate as a pinch hitter with two runners on, and sent the ball sailing over the scoreboard in left field to make it 5-1. The Marlins made it a bit closer on a solo home run by Madison Hudson in the bottom of the ninth to account for the 5-2 final verdict.
Christopher Newport is now heading to the National Finals with seven other schools from across the nation to begin play on Thursday for the National Championship. The Captains, now 42-1, will be making their third all-time trip to the National Finals, and first since 2012.
The Captains will be joined in Salem by a fellow member of the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference. Salisbury University also completed a two-game sweep in the Super Regionals Saturday to advance to the final eight. Games will begin at the Moyer Sports Complex in Salem on Thursday morning.
The Captains are making their 15th straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, and the 19th in the 38-year history of the program. Further details on the Captains trip to the National Finals will be posted on CNUSports.com as they become available.