While they would have preferred a sweep, EMU's women are happy to be playing even with the nation's best.  Just four days after splitting with No. 11 Virginia Wesleyan, Eastern Mennonite's softball team split with No. 22 Christopher Newport University.

After Sunday's non-conference games in Harrisonburg, the Royals stand at 7-3 overall, including 2-2 in the ODAC.  The women return to conference play with their next six games all being at home this week.  That stretch starts Tuesday with rival Bridgewater College.  First pitch in Harrisonburg will be at 3:00pm.

EMU 5, Christopher Newport 3
The women jumped ahead quickly against the Captains, getting an RBI single from Aislinn Lucas (Grottoes, Va./Fort Defiance) in the first followed by Lauren Seale's (Madison, Va./Madison County) first collegiate homerun in the second.

CNU scored three straight but Casey Racer (Madison, Va./Madison County) sent a laser over the left field wall in the bottom of the fourth to tie it at 3-3.  The Royals took the lead again in the fifth, as Danyele Smith (Broadway, Va./Broadway) and Lucas drew a pair of two-out walks.  Angelia Miller (Bridgewater, Va./Turner Ashby) crushed a double to center field, sending both runners home for what turned out to be the final scores.

The Captains got two runners on with just one out in the seventh, but pitcher Lauren Campbell (Stuarts Draft, Va./Stuarts Draft) struck out a batter for the second out, and then won a lengthy battle by coaxing out a ground ball to end the game.

EMU's offense had seven hits, although no batter had more than one.  Lucas was 1-1 with two walks, scoring once and driving in another.  Miller had just the one hit, but knocked in the two winning runs with it.

Cara Neikirk (Salem, Va./Glenvar) started in the circle and gave up two runs in 3.0 innings.  Seale pitched to two batters in the fourth and was charged with the other run.  Campbell took the win after giving up just two hits and no runs in 4.0 frames of relief.

Christopher Newport 13, EMU 6
Game two had a similar start, with the Royals scoring twice in the first before leaving the bases loaded.  Jordan Aylor (Madison, Va./Madison County) sent an opposite field homerun in the second to make it 3-0.

But CNU's mighty offense finally got sailing in the third, plating two runs.  A grand slam in the fourth put the visitors in front, 6-3.  The Captains rallied again in the fifth, this time scoring five runs to balloon the lead to 11-3.

Miller had an RBI single in the bottom of the frame to stave off a mercy rule ending.  Mariah Foltz (Broadway, Va./Broadway) slapped a two-run single in the sixth to trim it to 11-6, but CNU got both runs back in their final at-bat.  Eastern Mennonite loaded the bases with no one out in the bottom of the seventh, but two strikeouts and a grounder left the bases packed.

Aylor finished 2-4 with two runs and an RBI from the plate.  Miller and Seale each had a pair of hits while Foltz was 1-3 with two RBIs and a run.

Neikirk started once again and was charged with three runs in 3.0 innings. Campbell gave up the lead with two runs in 0.2 innings, and took the loss as she moved to 3-1 with both pitching decisions on the day.  EMU used five pitchers, with each giving up at least two runs.