NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The 13th-ranked Christopher Newport baseball team battled tight with the second-ranked University of Lynchburg Hornets (22-3-1) for six innings before a 10-run seventh proved to be the difference in a 16-2 setback at Captains Park on a cool Wednesday afternoon. The Captains held one of the nation's best offenses to three hits over six innings before surrendering seven hits in the decisive final frame of the game shortened by the 10-run mercy rule.
Senior left-handed starter
Ryan Morrison (2-1) did a masterful job keeping the Hornets off balance into the sixth inning, allowing just three hits. He surrendered three unearned runs in the second inning and retired seven straight batters with 1-2-3 third and fourth frames. Morrison made a highlight-reel snag on a bullet back up the middle to start the third and senior
Aaron Maxie added an eye-popping snag back in the first.
After five innings, the Captains' starting pitcher was locked in a pitchers' duel trailing 3-2 when the Captains struck for a pair in the bottom of the fourth.
Cameron Slough walked and Maxie singled into center field to put two batters on ahead of
Gus Croll. The junior outfielder roped a two-run double into the left field corner and trimmed the lead to just one, 3-2.
In the sixth, Morrson got a groundball out to start the inning but ran into control problems late in his outing and walked the bases loaded. After a single plated two runs, the Captains went to
Alex Shelkin out of the bullpen and the veteran right-handed ended the inning with just one more run allowed by inducing a flyball to left and an infield pop-up.
Now trailing 6-2, the Captains offense stranded a pair in the bottom of the sixth when Slough walked again and Maxie was robbed of a base hit on a tailing fly ball toward the line the opposite way.
Lukas Miller was drilled, putting the tying run at the plate but pinch hitter
Brayden Mazzoni hit a blistering line drive right at the first baseman to end the threat.
In the seventh, the Captains had four different pitchers face the dangerous Hornets lineup as Lynchburg scored ten runs on seven hits while CNU added two errors in the inning.
Chase Hustead was the final arm to come out of the pen and finished out the inning with a flyball to center, which saw
Jake Benedict make a standout diving play coming in on the ball, and a strikeout, but not before the Hornets took a commanding 16-2 advantage.
Croll led the way offensively with a pair of doubles in three at-bats during the game while driving in a pair. Benedict, Maxie, and
Jake Mutter each recorded base hits in the loss while Slough and Maxie scored the two CNU runs.
Christopher Newport fell to 20-8 overall this season and will return to action on Saturday, April 11 against the University of Mary Washington. First pitch against the Eagles, a Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference foe, is set for 2:00 p.m.
