Virginia Beach, Va. – Stockton University (3-5) opened a tough weekend slate of four games against teams ranked in the top 10 in the nation with a pair of shutout defeats to No. 6 Virginia Wesleyan (10-4) by scores of 5-0 and 2-0 at the Cross Bay Bash.
 
Michaela Luyber (Bordentown/Bordentown) registered a hit in each game for two of Stockton's six safeties on the day. Vanessa Tancini (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) contributed a hit and a stolen base in the first game.
 
Virginia Wesleyan scored single runs in the second and third innings before putting the game out of reach with a three-run homer by Alison Pollack in the fourth frame that made it 5-0 and ended the scoring.
 
Stockton used three pitchers, with freshman Abigail Tunney (Mays Landing/Oakcrest) tossing 2.1 scoreless innings in her college debut. Tunney retired seven of the nine batters that she faced and walked two.
 
Lilly James (Roseland/West Essex) ripped a double and Luyber singled for Stockton's only two hits in the nightcap.
 
The Marlins scored one run apiece in the first and sixth innings despite the strong pitching of Nerina Tramp (Blackwood/Highland), who hurled a three-hitter with seven strikeouts, one off her career high, and no walks.
 
Stockton will face two more top-10 teams tomorrow at the Cross Bay Bash, facing No. 2 Christopher Newport at 12:30 p.m. followed by No. 10 Randolph-Macon at 3 p.m.