DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University softball lost a pair of close contests with No. 8 Christopher Newport University on Sunday at Cougar Field. The nationally ranked Captains won the opener 5-0 before holding off Averett 9-5 in the second game.
 
In the opener, CNU (4-0) jumped ahead with a three-run first inning. The Captains were able to sneak four hits around the Cougars' defense in the top of the first, including a two-run bloop single just over the shortstop's head into shallow left field.

Averett (1-5) threatened to score in the bottom of the third after freshman Shea Danaghue singled down the right field like and eventually moved to third on sophomore Mackenzie Newomb's double to right field. However, CNU got a lineout and a popout to end the inning and keep the Cougars off the scoreboard.

Senior right-hander Taylor Sullivan kept the Captains off the scoreboard from the second inning until the top of the seventh when CNU plated two more runs thanks to three hits and an error.

Sullivan finished with seven strikeouts in the circle while eclipsing 200 career strikeouts for her career in Game 1.

Freshman Kadence Woodlief led Averett with two of the Cougars' six hits in Game 1.

In Game 2, CNU took an early 1-0 advantage thanks to an RBI double. The Captains tacked on three more runs — two unearned — in the third with the help of a two-run double and a sacrifice fly.

Averett struck in the bottom of the third to close the gap momentarily. Junior Hannah Jones' leadoff single got the offense going, and Newcomb drove her in two batters later with an RBI single through the left side to get the Cougars within 4-1. CNU, however, got the run back in the top of the fourth with a double steal, then pushed its lead to 6-1 with a sacrifice fly.

Averett inched back within 6-2 in the bottom of the sixth after Woodlief scored thanks to a CNU error. Once again, though, CNU responded with offense. The Captains pulled away with three more runs in the top of the seventh.

The Cougars made one last charge in the bottom of the seventh. Averett got consecutive singles to lead off the inning, then got a run thanks to a bases-loaded walk. Two more runs came home on sophomore Mackenzi Luckenbaugh's single to get the Cougars within 9-5. With the bases loaded, Averett had the tying run at the plate before CNU induced a game-ending groundout.

Averett travels to Greensboro College for a doubleheader on Wednesday.



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