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

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Closing out the regular season in conference play, the 16th-ranked Christopher Newport baseball team split a doubleheader versus Wesley College (19-15, 11-7), locking up their position in the Capital Athletic Conference Baseball Championship Tournament starting on Tuesday, April 19. The Captains suffered an 8-0 loss in the first game, but bounced back for a 5-4 victory in game two. 

With other results around the league still filtering in following the Captains' doubleheader, conference tournament seeding was still yet to be decided. About an hour after the final pitch at Captains Park, the last games were wrapping up and CNU learned it would be the No. 5 seed in the CAC Tournament, traveling to No. 2 Marymount University on Tuesday afternoon for the opening round game. The rest of the double-elimination tournament will be played at top-seeded Frostburg State for the second straight year. 

The Captains registered 18 hits in the two games, including base knocks from seniors Kyle Corwin, Alexander Crittenden, Connor Henderson and Tommy Vitaletti in their final home regular season game. Also playing at Captains Park for the final time, senior closer Adam Emerson registered a four-out save in game two, picking up his seventh of the year without allowing a hit. The only senior to not see action was starter Blake Ream, who pitched in Thursday's games against Penn State Harrisburg and was unavailable on Saturday. 

Crittenden earned the start in his final home game at CNU, and made the most of it with a 1-for-2 performance, adding a walk and a sacrifice bunt while starting at second base. He was a catalyst for the Captains' offense, walking to load the bases and set up a sacrifice fly in the 4th, before then executing a key sacrifice bunt in a pivotal 3-run 7th inning. Finally, one inning later, he slammed a hard ground ball through the left side for his first hit of the season, rounding out a strong overall performance. 

Hitting in front of Crittenden, sophomore catcher Brandon Walker also had a solid game, going 2-for-4 with a double, scoring once. Corwin added a two-hit performance, going 2-for-4 with a run scored as well. The scoring started in the game when sophomore Brandon Ginch lifted off for a solo home run to left center to lead off the bottom of the 2nd inning. CNU took the lead on the sac fly by Jordan Mason, and then pulled ahead for good on RBI singles from Austin Henry and Henderson in the 7th, while another run scored on a throwing error.

Sophomore Craig Johnson started game two and put the Captains in good position for six innings, allowing just two runs on four hits while striking out a pair. He picked up a no decision as the CNU offense didn't take the lead until the bottom of the 7th, when Caleb Myers had taken over on the hill. Myers improved to 4-1 with the win, tossing 1.2 innings with two earned allowed and one strikeout. Emerson finished out the game, stepping in with the tyinig run on second base and two outs in the 8th before inducing an inning-ending flyout to right field. He then made it through the ninth with two quick outs, a walk and a strikeout to end the game. 

He is the first player to save at least seven games in a season since Ryan Fleischmann in 2013, and the mark ranks fifth all-time for a single season in CNU baseball history.

Wesley starter Eric Willey (5-5) was the story in game one, tossing a complete game shutout against the Captains to earn head coach Bret Underwood his 100th career victory. Willey struck out six and walked three while scattering eight CNU hits. The Captains pitching staff allowed four two-run innings to the Wolverines, with Ryan Powell (3-3) suffering the loss after 4.2 innings of work. Sophomore Joe Burris recorded four outs in relief, all via the strikeout, while Logan Aylor and Jackson Galvin each pitched for the Captains in game one. 

Offensively, CNU threatened in both the 8th and 9th innings, loading the bases, but would strand all six runners as Willey escaped with key strikeouts in both innings. Jordan Mason was the bright spot offensively for the Captains, as the rookie went 3-for-5 out of the leadoff spot. 

Christopher Newport will close out the regular season on Sunday, traveling downtown to take on Newport News Apprentice School.