FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Taking on Averett University in a neutral site matchup at Methodist, the 18th-ranked Christopher Newport baseball team captured a 6-3 win over the Cougars on Friday afternoon. Scott Crosson went 4-for-5 and Brandon Cassedy (2-1) picked up his second career win with a six-inning quality start for the Captains. 

Averett falls to 3-5-1 with the setback while the Captains improved to 11-2 on the season. Holding onto a 6-3 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning, junior reliever Kyle Lewis earned the first save of his CNU career with a 1-2-3 inning. Lewis opened the inning with a fly ball to center field, promptly struck out the next batter on five pitches, and slammed the door shut with a game-ending groundball to the right side. 

The Captains raced out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning and held onto the lead throughout the game. CNU led 4-1 after four, 4-2 after six, and 6-3 at the close of the eighth frame. 

In the second inning, Crosson got his day moving in the right direction with an infield single before moving up to second on walk by Zach Dzarnowski. Two batters later, Daniel Elliott delivered an RBI single to get the Captains on the board, plating Crosson. A pair of errors led to two more runs for CNU as Elliott and Dzarnowski raced home on a dropped fly ball in the outfield. 

Cassedy worked around baserunners in each of his first four innings, allowing just one run on an RBI single by Gavin Colwell. The CNU freshman looked crisp in the fifth, striking out the side in order, and finished out the sixth with a 4-2 lead. Cassedy struck out six and walked four while surrendering five hits in the win with just one earned run allowed. 

The rookie gave way to veteran reliever Danny Checkosky who held off Averett in the seventh and eighth innings. He struck out three and gave up one earned run while holding onto the lead before handing the ball off to Lewis in the ninth. 

In the top of the fourth, Daniel Elliott reached on an error and moved up to third on a sacrifice bunt by Jake Benedict. After his brother moved him over, Sam Benedict brought him in, smacking an RBI single into center field to give the Captains a 4-1 lead. CNU tacked on two more in the eighth when Justin Bowers kickstarted a two-out rally with a hit-by-pitch. Pinch hitter Grant Hartman blistered a 2-1 pitch into left field for a double, chasing in Bowers, and two batters later, Crosson notched his fourth hit of the day with an RBI single into right field. 

Three Captains finished with multi-hit performances led by the four-hit showing by Crosson. Elliott was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI while Sam Benedict was 2-for-5 with a walk, reaching base in three of his six plate appearances. Benedict also ripped off two stolen bases in the contest. 

Christopher Newport will return to action on Saturday afternoon as they take on the host Methodist University Monarchs at 1:00 p.m. Live stats and a live video webcast will be available -- links at CNUsports.com.