Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Game 1:  Box Score in HTML Format  ||  Box Score in PDF Format
Game 2:  Box Score in HTML Format  ||  Box Score in PDF Format

MIDDLETOWN, Pa. -- Senior Bryan Bierlein (3-2) tossed his third complete game of the season for Christopher Newport, earning his second career shutout to highlight a doubleheader sweep over Penn State Harrisburg (3-14, 0-5) in Capital Athletic Conference action. The Captains improved to 11-9 overall, with a 5-2 mark in league play after a 4-3 win in game one, followed by the 5-0 shutout in game two. 

Bierlein was stellar from the opening pitch, facing just five batters over the minimum in his sixth start of the season. He scattered four singles and allowed just one walk, mixing up his pitches and keeping the Lions off balance all day. He struck out a season-high nine batters, including striking out the side in the bottom of the eighth inning. 

The only trouble Bierlein ran into all game came in the bottom of the second. Aided by a throwing error and an interference call, Eric Hoover led off the inning on second base. He was moved up to third on a sacrifice bunt by Colton Houseal, but the Captains senior right-hander got back-to-back groundouts right back to the pitcher to end the threat. No other runner advanced beyond second base in the game. 

After escaping the jam in the bottom of the second, fellow senior Billy Steel would give his classmate all the support he would need in the top of the third. The shortstop blasted his team-leading seventh home run of the season with a lead-off shot in the third to give CNU a 1-0 lead.

The Captains would tack on an insurance run in the fifth, two more in the seventh and a final tally in the ninth inning for the game-ending score of 5-0. Kyle Corwin singled home a run in a four-hit fifth inning; Jacob Houston and Corwin each notched sacrifice flies in the seventh; and Travis Younger added a sac fly in the ninth. 

CNU peppered 15 hits in the second game, and scored five times. Senior Justin Weaver led the attack, going 4-for-5 with two runs scored. Five starters had multi-hit games and all but one Captain registered a hit in the second game. 

The sweep was set up by a come-from-behind victory in game one. The Captains trailed, 3-2, headed into the ninth inning but earned a dramatic victory when the offense came to life in the top of the ninth. Younger led off with a double, and moved up to third base on a sacrifice bunt from Corwin. Needing just a sacrifice fly to tie the game, Houston instead torched a double into the gap to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. Then, after the Lions recorded the second out, catcher Collin Wilber laced a line drive into left field. Houston read the base hit off the bat and rounded third, beating the throw at home to put the Captains ahead, 4-3. 

In the bottom of the ninth, senior Nick Santalucia (4-0) would cap a strong day in relief by holding off the Lions for the win. The CNU lefty relieved classmate Jacob Vaughan in the sixth inning and promptly retired seven straight batters, and 10 of the first 11 he faced. He crossed up six batters, striking out at least one in each of his four innings pitched, including Houseal to end the game. Vaughan struck out four in five innings of work in the start, allowing one earned run on six hits. He did not allow a hit in four innings of work. 

Offensively, the Lions took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, including an RBI groundout by Hoover. Then, in the top of the second, CNU answered with two runs of their own. With two outs, Houston doubled down the left field line to put a pair in scoring position for senior Curtis Pittman. The designated hitter laced a shot into left field to plate both runners and tie the game for CNU. Harrisburg re-took the lead in the bottom of the fourth when Logan Hall plated Jim Murphy with an RBI groundout. 

The score would remain until the ninth inning when the Captains rallied for the win.

In the twin bill, CNU was led by Weaver, with six hits, and Houston, with five. Weaver had three doubles in the doubleheader, while Houston added a pair. On the hill, Santalucia and Bierlein combined to toss 13 innings with four hits allowed, no runs, two walks and 15 strikeouts. 

Christopher Newport will host the University of Mary Washington on Wednesday, March 26 in their next contest, at 2:00 pm. Live stats and live video will be available at CNUsports.com.