HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. -- Christopher Newport juniors Jake Benedict and Sam Benedict paired up for a couple of terrific outings on Monday afternoon as the twin brothers combined for 5 doubles, 7 RBI, and 5 runs scored in a 21-11 run-rule victory at Hampden-Sydney College. Sam notched his second 6-RBI performance of the season while Jake scored three or more runs in a game for the sixth time this season out of the leadoff spot. 

Closing out the regular season in highlight-reel fashion, the Captains scored a season-high 21 runs on 19 hits featuring six multi-hit performances in the game. CNU slugged eight total doubles in the game with the twins accounting for five of the two-base hits. Josh Reinhold, Aaron Maxie, and Creston Saunders each added one doubles apiece while Jake added two and Sam pelted a career-high three in the game. 

The Captains actually trailed the game, 10-5, after five innings of play before flipping the scoreboard with a 10-run sixth inning to take the lead for good. CNU then added four in the seventh and two more in the eighth to take a ten-run lead and held on in the bottom of the eighth for the mercy rule victory. Earlier in the game, CNU led, 1-0, and 5-4, before the TIgers responded with a six-run fifth to lead by five before the offensive explosion by the Captains. 

In addition to the six multi-hit performances, the Captains got at least one base hit from 11 different players and runs batted in off the bat of eight different players. Nine Captains scored at least one run in the game with graduate student Scott Crosson leading the pack with a four-run game. The outfielder was making his 172nd career appearance to tie CNU Hall of Famer Billy Steel for the second most games played in program history. 

CNU got the offense going early, scoring a run in the top of the first when Josh Reinhold sprinted around the bases on a two-out RBI double to left by Aaron Maxie. Reinhold reached on a walk that he earned with a hard-fought at-bat, fouling off three two-strike pitches before taking the free pass on nine total pitches. The next offering was the first pitch to Maxie and the sophomore added to his team-leading RBI count with a double smashed to left. 

The hosts tied the game up in the bottom half of the inning and then temporarily took a 2-1 lead in the second. In the top of the third, CNU knotted the game back up, 2-2, when Jake Benedict blistered a steaming line drive off the wall in left field for a double. The ball stayed in the park by a matter of feet, but allowed his brother to drive him in and swap places with a double down the right field line. The score remain tied for two innings before Hampden-Sydney scored a pair in the bottom of the fourth to sneak back ahead, 4-2. 

The back-and-forth battle swung back in favor of CNU in the fifth as CNU scored three more runs on four hits in the frame. Crosson led things off with a four-pitch walk and then scored the first of his four runs two batters later when Sam Benedict added his second straight RBI double. This time, he went the opposite way and split the gap in left center field to plate Crosson. Reinhold then stepped up and delivered a single into right center, chasing the Tigers pitcher from the game. After a stolen base, Maxie picked up two more RBI with a hard-hit single through the left side, giving CNU the lead back at 5-4. 

The home team responded with a six-run frame in the bottom of the sixth and the pendulum swung back in favor of the Tigers with a 10-5 lead. Both teams deep into their bullpen now, Christopher Newport took advantage of a patient eye at the plate and timely hitting in the top of the sixth to re-take the lead, this time for good. 

Creston Saunders led off the inning with a strikeout, but the rookie raced down the line and reached first base on a passed ball. He promptly stole second and Crosson followed with a four-pitch walk. Jake Benedict also walked, loading the bases for his brother, who was swinging a red-hot bat when he stepped up to the plate. Already boasting two RBI with a couple of two-base hits, this time the third baseman ripped a single into left field to chase in the first two runs of the inning. Both Benedicts scored when Reinhold followed with a double to the gap in left center and CNU trailed by just one, 10-9. 

Maxie followed with a walk and Doc Daniels moved the runners up with a groundball before Justin Liakos loaded the bases again with a hit-by-pitch. A wild pitch allowed the game-tying run to score and Lincoln Lubsen re-loaded the bases with a walk. In his second at-bat of the inning, Saunders came through with a bases-clearing double that put the Captains ahead with what proved to be the game-winning hit. The three-run double scored Lubsen, Liakos, and Maxie, and brought in another pitcher from the bullpen. Crosson delivered an RBI single and, courtesy of a walk and a hit-by-pitch, the bases were loaded for a third time in the inning. Picking up his fourth RBI of the day, Maxie earned his second walk of the season and 30th of the season to cap a 10-run inning. 

Extending the lead in the top of the seventh, the Captains rocketed five more hits around the ballpark to score four more runs. Liakos, Lubsen, and Saunders hit back-to-back-to-back singles to load the bases for Crosson. Driving in a run, Crosson grounded out, and the twins came to the plate once again. Double trouble for the Tigers, Jake and Sam added back-to-back two-base hits again, driving in three more runs for the Captains. 

Hampden-Sydney scratched one across in the bottom half, but CNU scored twice in the top of the eighth to set up the ten-run rule victory. Daniels reached on an infield single and Liakos walked behind him. Senior Kevin Mackmin then pinch hit for Saunders and drove in a run with a first-pitch single into left center. Another senior, Gavin Spencer, then came on for Crosson and smoked an RBI single through the right side to plate the final run of the afternoon. Later in the inning, Sam Benedict reached base for the sixth time in the game with a HBP and capped an impressive outing by going 4-for-5 with a walk, HBP, 6 RBI, 3 doubles, and 2 runs scored. 

In the bottom of the eighth, Mitchell Mortensen completed his third inning of work and earned the win for the Captains by stranding a runner on third base with a game-ending flyout to center field. Mortensen improved to 2-2 this season after striking out five batters and scattering four hits over three innings with one run allowed. 

On top of Sam Benedict's team-leading performance, the Captains also got a 2-for-3, 4-RBI day from Maxie after the sophomore reached on a pair of walks  as well. Saunders was 2-for-4 with 3 RBI and 2 runs scored while Reinhold finished 2-for-5 with 1 RBI, 3 runs, and walk. Finally, Jake Benedict was 2-for-6 with 3 runs scored and an RBI. 

Christopher Newport has wrapped up the 2025 regular season and will now await seeding for the 2025 Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Championship. CNU will be the #3 seed and will take on the #2 seed in the semifinal round on Friday, May 9.