NEWPORT NEWS, VA – The York College softball team picked up their biggest win of the season as the Green and White downed #15 Christopher Newport 5-2 in game two of Saturday's Capital Athletic Conference doubleheader in Newport News, Virginia.

The Captains were victorious in game one, 11-2 in five innings, but the Spartans came roaring back to earn the split.

The Spartans are now 19-11 overall and 7-5 in the conference while the Captains, who have already secured the top seed in the CAC tournament, are now 22-7 overall and 11-1 in the conference.

In the nightcap, the Spartans got on the board in the first courtesy of a two-out rally. Carleigh Ruleman (Owings, Md./Northern) singled to second to start the uprising. Ashley Lechner (Willow Street, Pa./Lampeter Strasburg) doubled down the left field line to push Ruleman to third. Haley Hirn (Palmyra, Pa./Annville-Cleona) got hit by a pitch to load the bases. Emily Glatts (Brookhaven, Pa./Padua Academy) then stroked a single up the middle, scoring Ruleman to give York a 1-0 lead. The Spartans would leave the bases loaded as the Captains escaped a bigger inning.

The Spartans tacked on three more in the second as York did all their damage again with two outs. Jayci Cristaudo (Mechanicsville, Md./Chopticon) doubled to left followed by a Katie Maloney (Aston, Pa./Sun Valley) walk. Ruleman then blasted a three-run homer to right center, giving the Spartans a 4-0 lead.

The Captains got on the board with a single run in the bottom of the third and then drew to within two with a single run in the bottom of the fourth.

York got a huge insurance run in the seventh as Cristaudo drilled a solo shot to center, giving York a 5-2 advantage.

The Captains opened the bottom of the seventh with Rachel Payne reaching on a Spartan error. However, pitcher Courtney Martin (Willow Street, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) buckled down as she got a pop up, a strikeout and a fielder's choice to end the game and give York their biggest win in the three-year tenure of Spartan head coach Jen Petteys.

Martin earned the win in relief as she came into the game in the second inning and allowed two unearned runs on six hits in six innings of work. She struck out two and did not walk a batter in the win. She did a fantastic job of pitching around three York errors in the game.

Krista Lewis suffered the loss as she allowed five runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts and one walk in seven innings of work. Lewis falls to 10-5 with the loss.

Ruleman was the game two offensive star as she was 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. The home run for Ruleman was her team-leading eighth of the year. Cristaudo added two hits, an RBI and a pair of runs scored. Lechner was the third Spartan with multiple hits as she was 2-for-4.

Payne led the Captains as she was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Scoop Simon added one hit and an RBI for CNU.

Game one saw the Captains jump on the Green and White for three runs in the bottom of the first and one more in the second to take a 4-0 lead.

The Spartans trimmed their deficit in half with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. The two runs came after Maloney walked and Ruleman blasted a two run shot to left.

The Captains blew the game wide open the bottom of the fourth as they scored seven runs on seven hits and a walk as their lead ballooned to 11-2. York wouldn't be able mount a threat in the top of the fifth as the Captains closed out the win.

Hanah Marshall picked up the win in the circle for CNU as she allowed two runs on three hits with three walks and a pair of strikeouts in her five innings of work. Marshall improves to 12-2 with the victory.

Martin suffered the loss in the opener as she allowed four runs on six hits with two strikeouts and a walk in her three innings of work.

Six Captains had multiple hits in the games led by Sabrina Hill as she was 2-for-2 with four RBI and a run scored. Simon was 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored. Tori Clarke contributed 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.

Ruleman led York with two of the Spartans' three hits while she had two RBI and a run scored.

The Spartans have left themselves in fantastic position to earn a top three seed in the upcoming CAC Tournament. However, they must have a strong showing on Sunday at Mary Washington in the Spartans final CAC doubleheader of the year. First pitch in Fredericksburg, Virginia is scheduled for 12:00 pm.

Carleigh Ruleman photo courtesy of David Sinclair