NEWPORT NEWS, VA – The Spartan softball team suffered a pair of shutout losses on Saturday to #9 Christopher Newport to open their 2025 season.
York lost game one 11-0 in five innings followed by an 8-0 five-inning loss in the nightcap.
CNU improves to 6-0 overall while the Spartans are now 0-2.
 
Game One
Runs: York 0 – CNU 11
Hits: York 1 – CNU 9
Errors: York 3 – CNU 0
LOB: York 1 – CNU 6
WP: Jamie Martin (3-0); LP Kyrsten Coppage (0-1)
 
How It Happened
• The Spartans got off to a great start with a Morgan Sauers single to right. Unfortunately, she would be York's only base runner of the game. The Captains opened the scoring in the bottom of the first as Cora Thomas scored on a wild pitch.
• The Captains made it 3-0 with a pair of runs in the third. Candace Slaw opened the frame with a home run to right. Natalie Quinlan followed two batters later with a homer to center for the three-run lead. It could have been worse for the Spartans as the Captains left the bases loaded.
• CNU put the game away in the fourth inning with eight runs on five hits and two Spartan errors. The Captain pitching staff finished the game with 15 straight retired Spartans.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Morgan Sauers: 1-for-2
 
Spartan Pitching
Kyrsten Coppage: 2.2 IP, 3 hits, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 HB
Gretchen Barstad: 0.2 IP, 4 hits, 6 runs, 4 ER, 4 BB
Courtney Freese: 0.2 IP, 2 hits, 2 ER, 1 BB
 
Game Two
Runs: York 0 – CNU 8
Hits: York 3 – CNU 6
Errors: York 1 – CNU 0
LOB: York 1 – CNU 4
WP: Kate Alger (2-0); LP: Natalie Rietema (0-1)
 
How It Happened
• The Captains jumped on the Spartans for a four run first inning to immediately seize control of the game. Natalie Quinlan blasted a three-run bomb to start the scoring. Olivia Tullous added an RBI single to make it 4-0.
• A Brooke Greaver RBI single in the bottom of the second inning made it 5-0. The Captains finished off the game with another Quinlan three-run bomb as she finished the game 2-for-3 with six RBI and two runs scored.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Emma Wade: 2-for-2
Gretchen Barstad: 1-for-2
 
Spartan Pitching
Natalie Rietema: 3.1 IP, 6 hits, 8 runs, 6 ER, 6 K, 1 K
Courtney Freese: 0.2 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs
 
Spartan Notes
The Spartans are now 4-18 all-time against the Captains as they have lost five straight in the series .. the Spartans hit .121 (4-for-33) with four singles in the two games … York struck out 14 times and did not draw a walk on the day … the Spartan pitching staff surrendered 14 walks and struck out just one … York allowed 19 runs (13 earned) on 15 hits including four home runs … Emma Wade continued her play from last year when she was an All-American as she was 2-for-4 on the day.
 
Up Next
The Spartans now head to Texas for the final eight games of their 2025 spring trip. York begins the Texas swing with a Tuesday doubleheader in Austin against Concordia. First pitch on Tuesday is set for 5:00 pm eastern time.