Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 YORK, PA – The York College softball losing skid reached seven as the #8 Christopher Newport Captains swept the Spartans with a pair of shut outs on Wednesday in York.
The Spartans have been shut out four times during their losing skid. While the Spartans have been scuffling, the Captains are red hot having won nine straight after the sweep.
The Captains improve to 24-5 overall while the Spartans are now 18-12.
 
Game One
Runs: York 0 - #8 Christopher Newport 8 (5 inn)
Hits: York 1; CNU 10
Errors: York 3; CNU 0
LOB: York 3; CNU 9
WP: Jamie Martin (8-1); LP: Gretchen Barstad (0-2)
 
How It Happened – Game One
• The Captains jumped all over the Spartans in the top of the first. Katie Curran opened the scoring with two-run double to center, giving the Captains a 2-0 lead. Curran scored as Jules Donnelly singled up the middle for the 3-0 advantage. Donnelly would eventually come around to score after a Spartan error extended the inning.
• Those four runs would really be all that CNU starter Jamie Martin would need as she was dominant in the circle for the Captains. She struck out the first five Spartans she faced before Bri McKeown drew a two out walk in the second. Martin struck out the side again in the third before surrendering the Spartans lone hit of game one as Gretchen Barstad singled up the middle to lead off the fourth. Martin walked the next hitter before a pair of strikeouts and a line out ended her day.
• CNU got a solo home run from Caroline Pollock to open the third followed by a three run fourth inning as the Captains closed out the game in five innings.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Gretchen Barstad: 1-for-2
Daphney Adams: 0-for-1, BB
Bri McKeown: 0-for-1, BB
 
Spartan Pitching
Gretchen Barstad: 3.0 IP, 9 hits, 8 runs, 6 ER, 1 K, 3 BB (Loss, 0-2)
Kyrsten Coppage: 2.0 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 3 K, 2 BB
 
Game Two
Runs: York 0 - #8 Christopher Newport 3
Hits: York 1; CNU 7
Errors: York 1; CNU 0
LOB: York 3; CNU 7
WP: Kate Alger (11-4); LP: Kyrsten Coppage (9-4)
 
How It Happened –Game Two
• Game two started as a pitcher's duel as CNU's Kate Alger and York's Kyrsten Coppage were dealing. The Captains broke through in the third as Kendall Bentley was hit by a pitch with two outs. She stole second and scored when Candace Slaw slapped a ball to third that skipped off the glove of a leaping Alexis McDonaugh and trickled into left field for an RBI double.
• That would be enough for Alger as she handcuffed the Spartans for seven innings. Alger allowed a base hit to Morgan Sauers to lead off the game but that would be the only hit she allowed. Alger struck out six and walked two in the one-hit shutout.
• The Captains tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the seventh as Delaney Nuckols ripped a two-run double to center to provide for the final three run margin of victory for the Captains.
• Coppage threw well for the Spartans in the loss as she scattered seven hits, allowing three runs, two earned, with five strikeouts and two walks.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Morgan Sauers: 1-for-3
Gretchen Barstad: 0-for-1, 2 BB
 
Spartan Pitching
Kyrsten Coppage: 7.0 IP, 7 hits, 3 runs, 2 ER, 5 K, 2 BB, 3 HB (Loss, 9-4)
 
Spartan Notes
 The Spartans fall to 4-16 all-time against the Captains as CNU has won the last three against York including last year's NCAA tournament game in Newport News … York entered the doubleheader having walked more times than they have struck out as a team but the twin bill turned those numbers around as the Spartans struck out a combined 16 times while the walked just four … during their seven game skid, the Spartans are hitting .192 as a team as they have scored just 17 runs while they have allowed 56 … the Green and White has just four doubles and one home run during the streak while the Spartans have struck out 47 times and walked just 13 … opponents are 18-for-20 in stolen base attempts in the last seven games … York has made a staggering 25 errors in those seven games while their opponents have made eight … the Spartans have walked 30 batters in the seven games … Gretchen Barstad extended her reached base safely streak to 28 games as she reached in both games on Wednesday … despite the struggles of the offense, Barstad continues to be one of the best hitters in the region as she is hitting .500 with four runs and three RBI over the last seven games while she also had four walks and a hit by pitch … Barstad is hitting .494 overall with 41 runs scored, 11 doubles, three triples, four home runs and 25 RBI … Barstad has drawn 20 walks as she owns a .591 on-base percentage … York is now 7-6 at home with six home games remaining in the regular season … York is 0-9 when failing to score at least two runs … York is 7-7 when their opponent scores in the first inning and 5-9 when their opponent scores first … York has not scored in their last 18 innings of play.
 
Up Next
The Spartans head back on the road on Saturday as they head to Hood College to face the Blazers in a pair of MAC Commonwealth contests. Game one is set for a 1:30 pm start in Frederick, Maryland.