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. -- Needing to win both games to clinch a spot in the 2015 Capital Athletic Conference Tournament, that's exactly what the CNU baseball team did on Saturday, sweeping York College (Pa.) in the regular season finale. The Captains (15-12, 8-10) won 8-3 in game one, and 8-6 in game two, earning a spot in the postseason tournament, which starts Tuesday. 

CNU blistered nine extra-base hits, including four home runs, in the twin bill. Sophomore A.J. Nicely led the way with six hits, while junior designated hitter Bryant Lowry pummeled a pair of home runs. 

In game one, the two starters were locked in a pitcher's duel for the first six innings, tied 1-1 heading into the final three frames. Blake Ream (3-2) posted a strong outing for the Captains, while Randy Frankenfield (2-4) opposed for the Spartans. After five scoreless frames, York College struck first. After Ream got two quick outs in the top of the sixth, Sean Mohollen reached on single through the left side and came around to score two batters later as Christian Bilan delivered an RBI single. 

The lead wouldn't last long as Keith Roberts got things going in the bottom half of the inning with a double. A.J. Nicely stepped in and delivered an RBI single to left to tie the game. Then, in the top of the seventh, York answered with another one-run frame. Brad Wenzel drove in the run with a single to left, plating Scott Steffy. 

CNU responded quickly again, and this time for good. In the bottom of the seventh, Connor Henderson walked and moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Lowry. After Kyle Corwin reached on a hit-by-pitch and Tyler Wood grounded out to advance the runners, it was Taylor Loudon's turn to hit. With two outs and two on, Loudon punished a 1-0 pitch over the left field wall. It was his first career home run, and the three-run shot gave CNU a 4-2 advantage. 

The Captains tacked on four more in the bottom of the eighth, as Henderson delivered a two-run single, followed by a two-run blast from Lowry. The insurance runs were uneccessary, as the Captains bullpen gave up just one run over the final 1.1 innings of work. Ream finished with 7.2 innings pitched, striking out five with six hits allowed. Caleb Myers got the final out in the eighth, and senior Justin Garber closed out the win with a pair of strikeouts, allowing one run. 

Nicely was 4-for-4 with an RBI and run scored, while seven different Captains registered a hit in the first game. 

In game two, left-handed freshman Joe Burris got the start for CNU, taking on York's junior lefty Matt Goodman. The Spartans keyed on Burris in the second inning, scoring three runs on four hits. Seth Brosius had the big knock, driving in a pair with a single through the left side. 

The CNU offense came to Burris' aid in the bottom of the third when Brandon Ginch drove in his team-leading 25th run this season with a single through the left side. Henderson added a sacrifice fly and Lowry smoked a double over the right fielder's head to drive in another run. 

The Spartans' leading hitter, Stephen Miele, put the road team on top again with a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth, but CNU took to the air again in the bottom half to pull away for the win. After one run came around on a pair of errors, Henderson stepped to the plate with one on and one out. The junior first baseman crushed a 1-0 pitch over Moores Lane beyond the left field wall, giving CNU a 6-4 lead. One pitch later, Lowry powered his second home run of the day over the right field wall, chasing Goodman from the game. In the sixth inning, CNU tacked on an insurance run on an RBI single by Roberts. 

Senior Kyle Goddard, making his final appearance at Captains Park, picked up his first win of the season with 1.2 innings of shutout work, allowing just one hit. Myers checked in for two scoreless frames in relief, striking out one, and Garber closed out the win despite a little trouble, striking out a pair with two runs allowed. 

CNU got multi-hit games from Nicely, Ginch and Lowry in game two, while Henderson drove in three runs. Brosius was 4-4 for the Spartans, driving in four of their six runs. 

The Captains clinched a spot in the tournament and seeding will be determined through the rest of the regular season across the conference. Stay tuned to CNUsports.com for updates on the Captains schedule. They will be on the road for the first round on Tuesday, April 14, with the top seed hosting the rest of the event next weekend.