Box Score Box Score in HTML Format

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Led by a two-homer, 5-RBI performance by rookie Marcus Begg, the Southern Virginia University Knights (8-19, 4-9) downed the 14th-ranked Christopher Newport Captains on Wednesday afternoon, 10-5. The Captains (21-9, 7-6) suffered their fourth straight CAC loss and first ever setback to the Knights. 

Senior Connor Henderson continued his hot streak at the plate for the Captains, blasting two home runs for the second straight game and leading the offense with a 2-for-4, 4-RBI performance. With homers in two of his first three at-bats on Wednesday, the CNU first baseman had launched four home runs in seven at-bats. 

Southern Virginia opened the game with a 2-0 lead on a 2-out rally. Brevin Baessler reached on a swinging bunt and then stole second to put runners on second and third for Davis Jones. Jones lofted a high-arcing double down the right field line that just stuck fair to plate the first two runs of the game. 

CNU answered with one run in each the second and third innings. First, Henderson powered out his first home run of the day for a solo shot in the bottom of the 2nd. He got under a 1-0 pitch and snuck the round-tripper just inside the left field foul pole. Then, in the bottom of the 3rd inning, the Captains knotted the game at two runs apiece when Brandon Ginch smoked a double off the center field wall to plate Austin Henry. Henry reached on a single to center field and stole second earlier in the inning. 

The Knights answered quickly, scoring four runs in the top of the 4th to take the lead for good. The big blow came from Begg, on a three-run home run to left field. Cody Davis also had an RBI single in the inning as Southern Virginia opened up a 6-2 advantage. The visitors tacked on three more in the top of the 6th, powered again by Begg with a two-run home run.  The Captains escaped further damage when Gage Bigelow singled up the middle, but Elliott Sledd pegged a runner at the plate with a perfect throw from center field to end the frame. 

In the bottom of the inning, the first two batters reached in front of Henderson as Ginch walked and Keith Roberts reached on an infield single. After falling behind in the count, 0-2, Henderson fouled off a close pitch to set up a 1-2 pitch inside that he was able to turn on and lift over the left field wall. His second home run of the day closed the gap back to four, 9-5, headed into the final three innings. Unfortunately, the Captains were unable to score on Southern Virginia reliever Jonathan Hodges. Hodges allowed just three hits over three solid innings of relief with one strikeout, picking up his first save with the effort.  

The Captains had 11 hits in the game, but stranded eight runners. Three CNU players finished with multi-hit games as Kyle Corwin and A.J. Nicely joined Henderson on Wednesday. Nicely finished 3-for-4 and Corwin added a 2-for-4 effort. 

CNU will be back in action on Saturday at Penn State Harrisburg (14-17, 6-7) in a CAC doubleheader. The first pitch is scheduled for Noon. Stay tuned to CNUsports.com for potential schedule changes due to weather.