Lynchburg, Va. -- University of Lynchburg freshman Bri Hodges drove in four runs, and the Hornets hit their first two home runs of the 2021 season, but it wasn't enough as No. 4 Christopher Newport won a pair of 6-5 ballgames in Friday afternoon's doubleheader on Moon Field.

CNU jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the opener and made it 6-0 in the fifth after Caroline Helmer's grand slam, but the Hornets quickly began to climb back into the game. Sophomore third baseman Karle Cundiff launched a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth, the Hornets' first round-tripper of the season, to make it 6-1.

Lynchburg rallied again with two out in the seventh. Shortstop Kayla Hugate clubbed a single, and then Cundiff reached on a Captains error that brought center fielder Gracie Dooley. After Hugate scored on a passed ball, Hodges slugged her first-career home run, a two-run shot, to make it 6-5. That's all the Hornets could muster, however, and the fourth-ranked Captains escaped with victory.

It was Lynchburg with the early offense in Game 2. Cundiff drove in a first-inning run with a single, and the Hornets made it 2-0 in the second when Olivia Herman came home on a wild pitch. In the fourth, Kaleigh Hackett's RBI double made it a 3-0 Hornets lead.

CNU responded in the fifth, taking a 5-3 lead as the Captains sent nine hitters to the plate.

Lynchburg bounced right back in the bottom half, though, as Hodges laced a two-run single up the middle to tie the score at 5.

The Hornets threatened again in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases with one out, but couldn't push the go-ahead run across. Christopher Newport then loaded the bases in the top of the seventh and drew a two-out walk to push the winning run across.

Lynchburg (11-9) will return to Old Dominion Athletic Conference competition Tuesday with a home doubleheader against crosstown rival Randolph. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

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--LYN--