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NEWPORT NEWS — The Christopher Newport softball team begins its NCAA title defense at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, with its opening game of the Elite Eight coming against Berry College of Georgia in a double-elimination series.
After Saturday’s dramatic 6-4 win over Virginia Wesleyan, Captains coach Keith Parr spoke of the importance of winning a tough game to enter the final phase of the tournament.
The win over Virginia Wesleyan “put us in a good position,” said Parr, whose team enters the Elite Eight with a mark of 31-11. “It prepares us at the highest level, and now we have a couple of days to make adjustments.”
Most of the adjustments will be tailoring his squad’s strategy against the strengths of its opponents, starting with Berry. The Vikings, of the Southern Athletic Association, are 41-5 and advanced with two shutout wins over Belhaven University.
Berry brings an explosive offense to Taylor Field in Marshall, Texas, led by two players. Katie White leads the Vikings with a .464 batting average, nine home runs and 43 RBIs, while Morgan Frye provides the most power, batting .433 with 13 homers and 51 RBIs. As a team, Berry is batting .344 with just more than 6.5 runs per game.
More impressively, Berry has allowed just 1.18 runs per game and is led by two ace hurlers — Hanna Gore (16-1, 1.00 ERA) and Blair Hall (15-3, 1.16 ERA).
CNU’s lineup includes Brooke Greaver, a junior third baseman who was named the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year. She’s tied for sixth nationally with 13 home runs, has a team-high 41 RBIs and is batting .396.
In the circle, sophomore righthander Kate Alger (16-5, 1.33 ERA) was named the Most Outstanding Pitcher in the Super Regional after earning two victories against Virginia Wesleyan.
CNU is seeded fourth in the eight-team field, while Berry has drawn the No. 5 seed. Longtime CNU rival Salisbury is seeded first after sweeping Lebanon Valley in their Super Regional.
Another school from last year’s final has also advanced to the eight-team field in Marshall. Trine University, from Indiana, is seeded third.
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The other four teams heading to Texas are second-seeded Linfield (Oregon), sixth-seeded Rowan (New Jersey), seventh-seeded Coe (Iowa) and eighth-seeded Moravian (Pennsylvania).
Berry and CNU faced each other once this season, with the Captains winning 8-5. CNU also defeated the Vikings 6-2 in last year’s World Series.
NCAA Elite Eight first round
Thursday in Marshall, Texas
#8 Moravian vs. #1 Salisbury, noon
#5 Berry vs. #4 Christopher Newport, 2:30 p.m.
#7 Coe vs. #2 Linfield, 5 p.m.
#6 Rowan vs. #3 Trine, 7:30 p.m.