SALISBURY, Md. -- In game one of the 2021 Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Baseball Championship Series, the sixth-ranked Salisbury Sea Gulls defeated Christopher Newport, 8-1. The Captains matched a season-high seven hits allowed against Conference Pitcher of the Year Clayton Dwyer, but the top-seeded hosts kept CNU off the scoreboard in the game one victory. 

For the second time this season, the Captains worked more baserunners on against Dwyer than any other team with seven hits and three walks, but CNU failed to capitalize on their opportunities and stranded nine runners in the game. Senior catcher Eric O'Brien had the best day at the plate with a 2-for-2 showing, a hit-by-pitch and a walk, reaching in all four of his plate appearances. He also scored the lone run of the game for Christopher Newport. 

CNU senior ace Josh Husby (5-1) suffered his first loss of the season after allowing five runs, four earned, in five innings of work. He struck out four and walked a pair with nine hits allowed. 

Salisbury struck first with a solo home run from Kavi Caster in the bottom of the first. They then added single runs in the third, fifth, and eighth frames while putting two across in the fourth and seventh innings. 

Christopher Newport rallies were felled by a pair of double plays in the early innings and CNU missed several chances with runners on base. In the top of the fourth trailing 2-0, the Captains left the bases loaded. When the home team came to the plate, they doubled their lead with two runs coming in on a pair of hits. 

The only run for the second-seeded Captains came in the top of the sixth when O'Brien ripped a one-out single through the right side. He moved up on a balk and over to third on an infield single by Kyle Schofield. With runners at the corners, C2C Rookie of the Year Jay Cassady delivered a deep fly ball to center field to sacrifice home O'Brien, but that would be all for the Captains. 

Daniel Elliott delivered a pinch hit single in the top of the seventh and Brayden Hodges walked to put two on with one out. The runners moved into scoring position on a groundball out, but again the offense puttered against Dwyer in the run-scoring opportunity. 

After Husby, fellow senior Gray Goodrich came in to toss the sixth and the right-handed reliever got through the inning without a ball leaving the infield. He got a sacrifice bunt, foul out to third, and then struck out Conference Player of the Year Justin Meekins to end the inning. 

For the Sea gulls, Dwyer went seven frames for his 10th win of the season, improving to 10-0 with seven strikeouts. Robbie Hollenbeck pitched the final two innings to close out the postseason win. 

The two teams will return to the SU Baseball Stadium on Saturday for an 11:00 a.m. first pitch in game two of the series. Live stats and live video will be available of all the action. If a third game is necessary to determine the conference champion, it would be played immediately following game two on Saturday.