ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. -- Christopher Newport picked up its eighth win in the last nine games with a 4-1 road victory at N.C. Wesleyan (13-5) on Wednesday night, recording the nationally-ranked Captains 20th victory of the season. CNU has now won 20 or more games in seven straight seasons (excluding the CoVID shortened 2020 campaign) and 14 of the last 15 years. 

Behind a solid pitching effort from senior Dylan Weber (4-1), the Captains continued to cruise this season while improving to 20-6 overall. Weber struck out nine in six scoreless frames, helping extend the Captains shutout streak to 18 consecutive innings before the home team got on the board in the bottom of the ninth. Kyle Lewis struck out three in two-plus innings of relief before Danny Checkosky came on to secure his third save of the season in the final frame. 

The CNU offense jumped out to a 4-0 lead and provided Weber with all the run support he would need in his fourth start in seven games this season of at least six innings pitched and two earned runs or less surrendered. The quality start included scattering three hits and three walks against the Battling Bishops; Weber did not face more than four batters in an inning until the sixth, where he stranded a pair with his ninth punchout of the game to end the threat. 

Weber struck out two batters in the first, second, and third innings before also finishing his day with two in the sixth. The southpaw now has 54 strikeouts in 38.0 innings pitched this year, running his career total to 215 strikeouts for the Captains. In the road win, Weber passed Bryan Bierlein (2020-23) for sixth on the all-time list at Christopher Newport, who finished his career with 208. 

At the plate, Scott Crosson set the tone in the very first at-bat of the game by doubling to center field on a 1-2 pitch to lead off for the Captains. It was the first of three hits for the CNU leadoff man, who leads the team in multi-hit performances this season with nine. Rookie Josh Reinhold then extended his hitting streak to 12 games with an infield single, putting runners at the corners for Zach Dzarnowski. The Captains' backstop lifted a high fly ball to deep center field for a sacrifice fly, plating Crosson for the game's first run. 

After taking an early lead, the Captains' worked three more runs across on one hit and one error in the top of the second. Alec Reilly led off with a walk and moved up when Sam Benedict reached on an error. The two advanced 90 feet on a passed ball to set up an RBI groundout by rookie Ayden Stuffel. Justin Liakos then delivered another big blow with an RBI double to left field to send in Benedict and chase the Wesleyan starter from the game. Before the inning ended, Liakos also raced home on a passed ball, capping the scoring in the game for CNU with four runs. 

CNU put baserunners on in all but one inning, but just could not get another run across home plate. Justin Bowers led off with a single in the third while Stuffel and Crosson each singled in the fourth. In the sixth inning, Stuffel walked and Crosson picked up his third hit of the day, but the duo were stranded on first and second to end the inning. Finally, Reilly reached on a HBP in the seventh and Stuffel wrapped up terrific day at the plate with another single to lead off the eighth. 

After Weber handed the ball off to Lewis, the Captains' veteran reliever quickly worked through the seventh and eighth innings with no issue, retiring the side in order both times. He came out for a potential three inning save in the bottom of the ninth but issued a lead-off walk and a single to right before Checkosky took over. He struck out the first batter he faced, but a walk loaded the bases and a groundball drove in the home team's lone run before he could slam the door with another K two batters later. 

Christopher Newport will return to action this weekend with a three-game series against St. Joseph's (Brooklyn) starting at Noon on Saturday. Prior to the doubleheader on Saturday, the Captains will honor the memory of Ricky Medina with a special pregame ceremony after the CNU baseball alum succumbed to brain cancer earlier this year. The game will serve as a fundraiser for the Medina 14 Foundation, a charity set up in his memory to benefit youth athletes and brain cancer research. 

First pitch will be thrown at 12:00 pm on Saturday with a twin bill scheduled followed by a single game on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Live stats and live video will be available at CNUsports.com.