NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The nationally-ranked Christopher Newport baseball team dropped a 5-3 decision at home on Saturday afternoon after Oswego State (5-3) scored four runs in the final three innings to upset the host Captains (10-9). Christopher Newport got an outstanding start from senior
Jackson Baird, pitching into the seventh inning, but the offense struggled against an equally stout start from the Lakers staff.
Baird retired ten straight batters as he cruised through the second, third, and fourth innings with six strikeouts. After a single started the fifth, he promptly induced a double-play to erase the runner and then stranded another runner with a flyout to center field.
In the sixth, Baird again surrendered a leadoff single, but, like deja vu, got the next batter to roll over into a 6-4-3 double play and eliminate any chance of momentum building for Oswego. He then punctuated his sixth inning with another strikeout. Through six, Baird scattered four hits and allowed one unearned run as the offense staked him to a 3-1 lead.
Leading off the top of the seventh, though, Baird hit the first batter and surrendered a game-tying two-run home run to Patrick May. The long ball sullied an otherwise dominant pitching performance, which included his season-high eighth strikeout of the game against the very next batter, on three straight pitches. Baird handed the ball off to
Chase Hustead, who stranded a runner at third to keep the game tied in the top of the seventh, 3-3, and make sure Baird left the game with a no decision.
Offensively, CNU did all of their damage early with two runs in the bottom of the first and one in the fourth.
Jake Benedict led things off with a single up the middle and moved up on a groundball to the right side that brought up
Josh Reinhold. The junior shortstop, making his first start in five games due to an injury, immediately made an impact on the lineup with his first AB back, driving a double into the corner in right field to plate Benedict for the first run. He then moved up on a groundout to short, which proved pivotal because a balk allowed Reinhold to trot home for the go-ahead run.
In the bottom of the fourth, CNU rallied for a run with two outs.
Doc Daniels reached on a single just inside the bag at third base and
Justin Liakos drove him in with a double into the left field corner. The RBI extra-base hit gave the Captains a 3-1 lead with Baird in a groove on the mound.
The decisive blow came in the top of the eighth, however, as Oswego left the yard again with a solo home run from Daniel Winchester. The Lakers added another run in the top of the ninth for insurance, and held off the Captains at home for the win. The first batter to the plate for CNU after Oswego tied the game at three runs apiece was Liakos and the senior sent a high fly ball to left field that would have put the Captains back in front as it sailed over the wall; unfortunately, a highlight-reel catch from Felix de Asa DelaCruz brought the would-be homer back into the ballpark with a sensational catch.
Reinhold led the attack by going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored while Liakos had the other RBI in a 1-for-3 effort with a walk.
Jake Benedict continued his incredible season getting CNU on the scoreboard as he scored his 27th run. The junior outfielder has scored at least one run in all but three games this season and now has a base hit in 12 of the last 13 games.
Christopher Newport will have a chance for retribution on Tuesday afternoon as the Captains take on the very same Lakers squad. CNU and Oswego State will have a rematch at 3:00 p.m. at Captains Park.
