DANVILLE, Va. -- Despite being held to under 10 hits in a game for just the second time in the last 12 games, the 16th-ranked Christopher Newport baseball team cruised to an 8-5 win at Averett University on Sunday afternoon. The Captains won their sixth straight, all on the road, and improved to 14-4 on the season with the win. 

The dangerous CNU offense was held to just seven singles over nine innings, but scored eight runs with the help of a patient eye at the plate, earning eight walks and one hit-by-pitch. The free passes came back to bite the Cougars, as four of them would come around to score in a game decided by just three runs.  

Averett got on the board first, scoring twice in the first inning when catcher Neil Hutchens delivered a two-run single to pull ahead. The lead wouldn't last, however, as CNU answered immediately with five runs in the top of the second inning. Alex Abbey, starting at DH for the second straight game, delivered the first RBI of the day with a hard groundout to plate Nicholas Baham. Brandon Walker then smoked a run-scoring single into left field and Austin Henry walked to chase the Cougars starter just 1.2 innings into the action. 

The reliever didn't fare any better, as Jordan Mason walked to load the bases for rookie Conner Clark, who blistered a 2-2 pitch into the right center-field gap for a two-run single. The fifth run of the inning would be Mason, who trotted home on a throwing error on a failed pickoff attempt at first base. 

Averett scored again in the second, but CNU tacked on two in the third and one more in the fourth to take an 8-3 lead. Abbey and Walker had their second RBI at-bats, with a single and groundout, respectively. Then, in the fourth, Craig Johnson smashed a deep sacrifice fly to allow Jordan Mason to score. 

Rookie Josh Husby started for the Captains and worked through four innings before giving way to a spectacular outing by the bullpen. All five runs were scored against the CNU starter as three CNU pitchers combined to slam the door in the three-run game against Averett. 

First up, junior Austin Slough stepped to the mound and pieced together his finest outing of the year. He earned the win in relief, improving to 2-1 on the year, while allowing just two hits and striking out three in three scoreless innings. Rookie Carter Strain then tossed a clean eighth inning, striking out a pair, and giving way to senior closer Joe Burris for his fourth save opportunity of the season. 

Burris, who ranks third all-time in CNU pitching appearances, was flawless on Sunday. He retired the home team in order, 1-2-3, with a strikeout, to lock up his fourth save of the year. 

Austin Ford (0-1) suffered the loss after giving up four runs, all unearned, in 1.2 innings for Averett. Ben Kimberlin did the bulk of the work for Averett, who also had a strong effort from the relievers. Kimberlin surrendered just one run in 5.2 innings of work. 

Conner Clark led the offense with a 2-for-4 effort with a walk. He drove in a pair. Alex Abbey was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and Walker added two runs driven in during a 1-for-3 effort. 

Seth Woodard was 0-for-4, ending a 17-game hit streak for the first year Captain. It was the longest hit streak since a 20-game roll by Tommy Vitaletti in 2014. 

The Captains will look to close out a seven-game road trip on Monday, March 19 at North Carolina Wesleyan College. First pitch for the Battling Bishops is set for 3:00 pm.