NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Taking on the 2026 NCAA Division III National Runner-Up from Messiah University, senior Cooper Newell dialed up one of the finest pitching performances in program history to capture his third win of the season and earn this week's Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week selection. Newell tossed 7.0 no-hit innings against the Falcons and helped CNU capture a 5-3 win over the weekend. CNU Baseball will return to action on Tuesday, March 3 as they will travel to face Averett University. 

Newell, a right-handed starter out of Chesapeake, Va., collected his third career C2C Pitcher of the Week selection after earning the recognition twice last season. Ironically, the first came after facing Messiah last season, in a game that he also allowed no hits over 5.0 innings pitched. Having the Falcons number in two career starts, Newell has not surrendered a hit to the Falcons over 12.0 innings pitched. 

This week's performance was not just impressive, but special. In the nearly 1,700 career games played by Christopher Newport baseball since the inception of the program in 1982, it was only the third time that a starting pitcher held their opponent without a hit over the first seven innings. The last time it happened was a 7-inning complete game no-hitter, the lone such performance in program history, by Eben Brower against York (Pa.) on May 2, 2004, and the first occurrence came over a decade earlier when Dwayne Ray set the program record for the longest start to a game without giving up a hit with 7.2 no-hit innings against Mansfield on March 6, 1993.

Accomplishing the feat against the defending national runner-up and 15th-ranked squad in the nation added just a bit more weight to the overall performance by Newell. He struck out nine batters and worked around five walks before leaving the game after seven strong. Two relievers combined to finish out the win, 5-3, for Christopher Newport as the Captains improved to 7-3 overall this season. 

The win completed a Saturday sweep against Messiah in a doubleheader at Captains Park. CNU took two of three against the Falcons and will look to carry that momentum into their next game on Tuesday at Averett University (4-6). First pitch against the Cougars is slated for 2:00 p.m. at Owen-Fulton Field in Danville, Va. 

The Captains are 37-17 all-time against Averett as former conference opponents in the USA South Athletic Conference. CNU has won three in a row, but have only played the Cougars twice since leaving the league in 2013 with matchups in 2018 (W, 8-5) and 2023 (W, 6-3). In Danville, the series is much more even with CNU holding a slim 14-12 advantage all-time. 

At the plate, junior Aaron Maxie is leading the attack with a .463 average through the first ten games played. He has a team-high 19 hits, eight extra-base hits including two homers, and 15 RBI this season. Additionally, his glove has been a major asset for the Captains at first base with several highlight-reel picks protecting the CNU defense throughoutt his season. In 67 total chances, Maxie has 60 putouts and seven assists without committing an error. 

Josh Reinhold, hitting .389, is also having a hot start to the year in his senior campaign. The shortstop has 10 RBI, 10 runs scored, and 10 walks while also thieving five bases this season. Junior catcher Cameron Slough has 10 RBI while hitting .351 and senior Jake Benedict is hitting .348 with eight XBH including a team-high seven doubles. 

Averett will counter with an offense averaging 6.7 runs per game led by Nathan Michalowicz hitting .400 this year. Seven of the regular starters are hitting over .300 so far including Tyler Lowe (.371) and Drew Skinner (.361), the team's leading run producers with 17 RBI combined. 

Following the trip to Averett, the Captains will head to Eastern Mennonite University on Thursday, March 5 to round out the home-and-home series with the Royals. First pitch on the road is slated for 3:00 p.m.