NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (CNUSports.com) – It’s on to the NCAA Softball Tournament for the Captains of Christopher Newport. CNU, ranked ninth in the country, will travel to Union, New Jersey, for regional play at Kean University.
Aubrey Bates, CNU Softball (Courtesy: Benjamin Leistensnider)
The action will begin in the double elimination regional Friday as CNU will take on Staten Island. The host school, Kean, will play Endicott, and action will then continue Saturday and Sunday. Game times are to be determined.
CNU has a record of 33-7 and Keith Parr’s squad will be playing in the NCAA Tournament for the 13th consecutive season, and the appearance will be the 17th in the 35-year history of the program. Kean ia 37-6, Staten Island has an 18-15 record this season, while Endicott is 32-5.
The Captains captured the Capital Athletic Conference title on Saturday with back-to-back victories at Mary Washington. CNU recorded an 8-0 win in the opening game, and then took the title with a 10-6 victory in the deciding contest. Mary Washington had opened the best-of-three final series with a 5-4 win on Friday.
CNU has set a new single season team record for home runs this year with 60 in 40 games. Freshman Kaitlyn Hasty, the CAC’s Player and Rookie of the Year, also set a new individual home run mark by blasting 19 this spring, including two on Saturday in the wins over the Eagles.
Christopher Newport’s deepest advance in NCAA play came in 2011 when the Captains were national semifinalists. CNU has been knocked out of the tournament in regional play the last three years, and Christopher Newport has an all-time record in NCAA play of 34-32.
