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

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Junior right-hander Blake Ream (1-1) gave up just three hits in a game one win over the Stevens Institute of Technology (4-3) on Monday, but the Ducks answered with a win in game two to earn a doubleheader split against CNU on Monday afternoon. The Captains (7-6) won the first game, 4-2, behind Ream, and dropped the second game, 5-1, despite outhitting the Ducks, 6-4. 

Playing two seven-inning games in the doubleheader, the CNU starter made it easy on his bullpen by going five innings with just two runs allowed. The Ducks struck first when they scored a pair on Ream in the second inning, but it would prove to be the only runs allowed in the game by CNU. Marc Calleo smacked a two-run double into left center that plated the two Stevens runs,  but a solo home run off the bat of Travis Myers cut the lead in half during the bottom half of the inning.

Ream worked around trouble throughout the game, stranding four base runners in five innings, striking out four batters. The offense came to his aid in the bottom of the fourth when Connor Henderson got things started with a single. Kyle Corwin dropped down a sacrifice bunt, but reached on an error and the two runners moved into scoring position for designated hitter Bryant Lowry. Lowry then delivered a smoldering double off the wall in left center that easily plated the game-tying and go-ahead runs, as CNU took a 3-2 lead.

Then, with one out, Josh Moore delivered a single to right center that plated Lowry for an insurance run. With the lead in hand, the CNU bullpen took over for a clean sixth and seventh. First, Caleb Myers tossed a perfect sixth, with one strikeout, followed by a four-batter seventh from closer Justin Garber, who picked up his third save with one strikeout. 

The Captains ended its four-game losing streak with the win in game one, picking up six hits from six different batters. 

In game two, the early signs pointed to another pitchers duel, as CNU starter Joe Burris recorded the first seven outs with ease, in dominant fashion. He struck out the side in the first, tossed just eight pitches in the second, and struck out Gregg Nickels to start the third. The inning unraveled, however, after Calleo delivered his second RBI double of the day in the top of the 3rd. 

The run-scoring poke was the first of three RBI knocks in the inning, including a two-run double from designated hitter Jayson Yano. A sacrifice fly from Brian Hennelly capped the five-run inning, as the Ducks took a 5-1 lead to chase Burris from the game. Brett Mays came on in relief and struck out Nickels to get out of the inning. 

Mays combined with Myers and Garber to throw 4.1 innings of no-hit relief, but the offense couldn't get going against Stevens' starter Robert Robbins. Robbins (2-0) tossed 6.0 innings with eight strikeouts and just one unearned run allowed. He scattered six hits as the Captains stranded eight baserunners in the game. 

Offensively, CNU got a 2-3 performance from rookie Craig Johnson, while Henderson, Lowry, Myers and Taylor Loudon each added one hit in the second game. The Captains outhit Stevens, 6-4, in the game. 

CNU will return to action on Wednesday, when they travel to face nationally-ranked Salisbury University at 3:00 pm.