Newport News, Va. – The St. Mary's College of Maryland baseball team recorded 11 hits but came up short at Christopher Newport University Wednesday afternoon as the host Captains notched 10 extra-base hits in an 11-6 non-conference victory. Christopher Newport (2-1) exploded for five runs in the seventh inning to break open a one-run contest.
The Seahawks (1-2) took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning as sophomore centerfielder John Stewart (Annapolis, Md./St. Mary's, Annapolis) singled down the right field line to bring home senior second baseman Matt Baden (Huntingtown, Md./Huntingtown) who led off with a single through the left side. CNU answered in their half of the inning with two runs.
The next three innings were scoreless before St. Mary's knotted the game at 2-2 following junior DH Nick Urso's (Newtown, Conn./Newtown) sac fly to left field to score Stewart. Once again, the Captains responded in their half of the inning with two runs as junior third baseman Luke Saunders (Lancaster, Va./Lancaster) knocked out a two-run homer out of the park to give his team a 4-2 advantage.
Christopher Newport tacked on another run in the sixth to take a three-run lead following first-year shortstop Billy Steel's (Mechanicsville, Va./Lee-Davis) RBI double to the left center.
St. Mary's rallied in the seventh inning with two runs to trim the lead to 5-4. Senior leftfielder Joey Kavanagh (Huntingtown, Md./Huntingtown) notched a bases loaded hit by pitch, allowing sophomore shortstop Corey Napier (Leonardtown, Md./St. Mary's Ryken) to score. Senior catcher Brad Shepherd (Columbia, Md./Oakland Mills) drove in Urso with a single through the left side.
After the Captains' explosive five-run seventh inning, the Seahawks picked up two more runs in the eighth to close the gap to 10-6. They would get no closer despite having bases loaded at three different times. Kavanagh hit a two-out single to third with bases loaded to bring home Baden who had a lead-off walk while senior first baseman Ian Simpson-Shelton (Upper Marlboro, Md./DeMatha) earned a bases loaded walk to bring home Stewart.
The Seahawks were led offensively by Napier who went 3-for-5 at the plate with a double while Stewart and senior right fielder Bobby Corton (Owings Mills, Md./Calvert Hall) each had two hits.
Senior RHP Barrett Enix (Suffolk, Va./Nansemond-Suffolk Academy) suffered the loss as Enix gave up four runs on nine hits in 5.0 innings of work.
The Seahawks will welcome City College of New York to the Hawk's Nest this Saturday, February 19 for St. Mary's home-opener. The first game of the doubleheader is at 11:00 am and St. Mary's College president, Dr. Joseph Urgo, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.