LYNCHBURG, Va. -- Taking on the top-ten University of Lynchburg Hornets for the second straight day, the 15th-ranked Christopher Newport baseball team fell just short of retribution on Sunday with a 4-1 loss on the road at James C. Fox Field. The Captains (19-8) took a 1-0 lead in the game but was unable to hang on for the win while Lynchburg improved to 23-5 overall as a team.
Alec Reilly delivered a run-scoring double in the top of the fourth to put the Captains on the board first, but Lynchburg answered with three in the next half inning and added an insurance run in the eighth for the final score, 4-1. Reilly had one of just three CNU hits in the game, though two went for extra bases as
Justin Bowers added a double early in the contest as well.
CNU sophomore starter
Jay Cassady (6-2) was locked in a pitchers duel with Nick Mattfield (5-0) before the fourth when both teams struck with run-scoring plays. Cassady cruised through the first turn in the lineup, getting the first three batters before working around a pair of singles in the second. In the third, he struck out a pair and again faced the minimum after getting a runner picked off at first base.
In the top of the fourth, the Captains' hottest bat led things off with a single as sophomore
Daniel Elliott ripped a shot into center field on a 3-1 count.
Michael Martorano moved Elliott up with a sacrifice bunt and Reilly stepped in to score him with a double into left field.
Unfortunately for the Captains, that would be the extent of the CNU offense as the Captains went down in order the rest of the way as Lynchburg pitching retired 16 straight to close out the win.
Lynchburg took the lead with three runs, two earned, against Cassady in the bottom of the fourth. The sophomore ace worked around two more hits before being lifted in the bottom of the sixth.
Colin D'Arcy came on and stranded a pair of runners inherited by Cassady with a couple of strikeouts and a fielders choice groundball up the middle. D'Arcy worked quickly through the seventh unscathed and came back out in the eighth to finish out the work for CNU on the mound, allowing one run on one hit.
Cassady finished with the loss after 5.0+ innings pitched, surrendering seven hits and three runs, two earned. D'Arcy went 3.0 IP and allowed just one run on two hits with four strikeouts.
Christopher Newport will look to shake off the weekend sweep withi a home game on Wednesday, April 13 as they host Southern Virginia University at 3:00 p.m. Live stats and a live video webcast will be available at CNUsports.com.
