HARRISONBURG, Va. -- Every spot in the lineup contributed to an offensive explosion on Wednesday afternoon as the Christopher Newport baseball team scored 17 runs on 18 hits in a shutout victory at Eastern Mennonite (11-22). The Captains improved to 19-16 overall as 13 different players crossed the plate for CNU against the Royals. 

While the offense headlined the outing, an impressive pitching performance also highlighted the afternoon victory. Junior left-handed starter Ryan Morrison snagged his sixth win of the season, improving to 6-1, after tossing five shutout frames against the Royals. He struck out five before handing the ball off to junior Dylan Blazer. Making his first appearance of the season, Blazer worked a perfect sixth inning, 1-2-3, and gave way to Marcus Dux for the final inning. Dux also retired all three batters he faced, striking out one, as the trio combined for the second shutout of the season. 

CNU scored multiple runs in four of the first five innings, stacking up the lead with extra base hits up and down the order. Scott Crosson (3-3), Jake Benedict (2-3), Aaron Maxie (2-3), and Doc Daniels (2-3) led the offensive effort with multi-hit performances while Brayden Mazzoni delivered his first career home run and registered a game-high 3 RBI. 

Christopher Newport jumped on the home team with three runs on five hits in the first inning. Jake Benedict led off with a hard-hit single through the left side and scored the first of 17 CNU runs when Josh Reinhold slammed a one-out triple to the gap in right center field. The team's leading run producer, Aaron Maxie, then stepped in and pounded an RBI single through the right side to make it 2-0. Finally, with two outs, Doc Daniels delivered an RBI single up the middle to plate Maxie, who had moved up to second on a wild pitch. 

Crosson's excellent day started to lead off the second when he singled into center field. It was the first of three hits on the day for the fifth-year senior and represented the fourth run of the day when Maxie added another RBI base hit with two outs. 

Carrying a 4-0 lead into the third inning, the Captains chased the Eastern Mennonite starter from the game, but continued to do damage against the bullpen. Daniels reached on a hit by pitch to lead off the inning and stole second base. Rookie Creston Saunders then singled into left center and advanced to second on the throw back into the infield. With two runners in scoring position, Crosson picked up his second hit with an RBI single through the right side. Jake Benedict then drove in two with a double down the left field line, giving the Captains a 7-0 lead after three innings of work. 

CNU failed to score in the fourth but the hits kept coming in the fifth, starting with a big blast from Crosson. Leading off the inning, the fifth-year senior left the yard with a solo shot for his fifth career home run. Since joining the Captains in 2021, the .303 career hitter has finished with one home run in each of his five seasons. The round-tripper on Wednesday marked the annual event with a bang, capping an impressive 3-for-3 showing with two RBI and two runs scored. 

Following the homer, Jake Benedict walked and stole second before his brother, Sam Benedict, doubled down the right field line for an RBI extra-base knock of his own. Daniels added an RBI single with the bases loaded and Mazzoni walked in a run. Rounding out the five-run fifth, Saunders plated a run with a sacrifice fly. 

With the game in hand, the Captains made some substitutions in the later innings. Leading off the sixth, senior Gavin Spencer walked after fouling off a couple of pitches to earn the free pass. Stone Lasseigne added a one-out single with his pinch hit appearance and Will Pellegrino stepped up and smacked an RBI double to center field, plating Spencer. Rookie Andrew Hearn kept the line moving, adding a two-run double to right field, bringing up Mazzoni in the top of the sixth. In just his 14th career at-bat, the newcomer blasted his first career home run with a two-run shot to left center field. 

Saunders then walked and Jacob Koenig added a single into left field as the Captains sent all nine batters to the plate in the inning. The run scoring ended there, with CNU piling up 17 runs in the runaway victory. 

Six different players drove in more than one run in the game and 13 different Captains logged at least one base hit in the game. Jake Benedict, Reinhold, Maxie, and Crosson each scored multiple times, with two runs apiece. 

CNU is schedule to travel to No. 9 Salisbury University on Saturday, April 26 in Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference action. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. against the Sea Gulls, but fans should stay tuned to CNUsports.com for any schedule updates with rain in the forecast.