Virginia Wesleyan softball tops Muskingum 6-1 in Super Regional opener, CNU wins, too
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (VWU/CNU releases) — The Virginia Wesleyan University softball team (39-8, 20-2 ODAC) defeated Muskingum 6-1 in game one of the 2024 NCAA Super Regionals.
Emma Adams led the team in the circle and at the plate. She pitched 7 innings, allowed three hits and one unearned run, and tallied four strikeouts. Adams was 2-for-3 at the plate, with a double, and scored one run for VWU.
Alison Pollack was 1-for-3 with a solo homer for her second home run of this NCAA playoff run, Mackenzie Myers was 1-for-4 and had two RBI, and Julia Piotrowski was 1-for-2, scored a run, and had one stolen base.
The Muskies scored first in the bottom of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead over the Marlins.
Virginia Wesleyan got on the board in the third, as Piotrowski led off with a beautiful bunt single and stole second. Karley Beltran walked to put runners on first and second, and Sarah Prosser grounded out to move the runners to second and third. Laci Campbell hit a hard grounder to first that allowed Piotrowski to score from third to tie the game at 1-1.
The Marlins scored two runs in the fourth, Alison Pollack led the inning off with a solo home run to left field to give VWU a 2-1 lead. Followed by an Emma Adams double to left center field, Joslyn Woodard singled and advanced to second on a throwing error by the pitcher that scored the pinch runner Sam Smith from second to extend their lead to 3-1.
VWU added three runs in the sixth inning, Adams singled to left field, Karley Beltran singled through the left side putting runners on first and second, and Sarah Prosser singled to load up the bases for Laci Campbell who was hit by a pitch that scored Adams from third. With the bases loaded Mackenzie Myers singled to left field to score Beltran and Prosser to extend their lead to 6-1.
CNU coach Parr gets 700th win
Christopher Newport University head coach Keith Parr registered his 700th career victory Thursday afternoon as the third-ranked Captains won their 19th consecutive game, beating Rowan University, 6-0, in the first game of a best-of-three NCAA Super Regional series at Rowan Softball Stadium.
The Captains, now 34-5, need just one win on Friday over the Profs to advance to the National Finals for the third straight season, and fifth time in program history.
Nationals will take place beginning next Thursday in Marshall, Texas. Parr, who in his 21st season leading the Captains, has averaged over 33 wins per year and has his program in the NCAA Tournament for the 17th consecutive time. His all-time record now is 700-206-1 for a winning percentage of 77 percent in 907 games at the helm.
CNU scored all six of its runs in the third inning, sending 11 batters to the plate, and junior lefthander Jamie Martin scattered five hits to the Profs while throwing her sixth shutout of the season. The Captains and the Profs are scheduled to resume the Super Regional with Game 2 at 1 p.m. Friday.
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