NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Senior starter Dylan Weber (2-0) fired six scoreless innings of one-hit ball to lead Christopher Newport baseball to a sixth straight win to open the 2023 season. The Captains downed Hampden-Sydney, 11-2, as the bats blasted eight extra-base hits to carry the offense, including home runs by Justin Bowers and Kevin Mackmin. 

Christopher Newport improved to 6-0 to start the year for just the fourth time in program history after breaking the game open with a five-run third inning. CNU scored twice more in the fifth and tacked on four runs in the bottom of the eighth. 

The pitching staff combined for 14 strikeouts while issuing just two walks led by Weber's quality start. The senior southpaw retired the lineup in order the first time through with six strikeouts over the first three innings. After being staked to a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the third, Weber allowed an infield single in the fourth for his only hit allowed. He promptly picked off the runner and added his seventh K of the game. In the fifth and sixth, a pair of errors allowed two more baserunners, but Weber worked around it with two more strikeouts. 

Weber is just nine strikeouts shy of joining the top-ten all-time at Christopher Newport in career punchouts. He has 19 in 11.0 innings of work so far this season. 

At the plate, Christopher Newport scored five runs on four hits and two errors in the bottom of the third. Ethan Weaver led off and reached on a defensive miscue before Ayden Stuffel put another runner on with a base-hit bunt. One batter later, Josh Reinhold doubled to right center to plate the first two runs of the game. Bowers followed with a two-base hit into left field and Alec Reilly walked to keep the line moving. Designated hitter Scott Crosson then delivered an RBI single into center field to chase the Hampden-Sydney pitcher. 

The inning continued against the reliever as Kevin Mackmin laid down a sacrifice bunt and Brandon Cassedy walked the bases loaded. Drew Caroline also earned a free pass, picking up an RBI on the walk. 

CNU made the lead 7-0 in the fifth when Weaver was again a catalyst for the offense, crushing a two-out RBI triple off the top of the center field wall some 400-feet away. Moments later, Stuffel matched Weaver's rip to deep center, watching it carom off the yellow paint in deep center as well, driving in Weaver. 

Hampden-Sydney scored two in the top of the seventh off reliever Jackson Gimbel, but the Captains responded with four in the bottom of the eighth. Both came with fireworks as Eric Wilson earned his first at-bat as a Captain and worked a walk to bring up Bowers. On a 1-1 pitch, the left fielder destroyed a pitch over the left field wall with a mammoth home run, his second of the season. Pinch hitter Grant Hartman then laced the first pitch he saw inside the third base bag for a double and two batters later, Mackmin delivered the second two-run homer of the inning with his first career blast. 

In relief, Danny Checkosky struck out a pair in 1.1 innings of relief and Kyle Lewis closed out the win with two K's in a clean ninth frame. 

Four Captains finished with multi-hit performances including Bowers and Mackmin each smacking a pair for extra bases. Bowers drove in three and scored twice while Mackmin's dinger gave him two RBI and a run scored as well. 

Christopher Newport will return to action on Wednesday, February 22 as they play host to Bridgewater College at 2:00 p.m.