NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Five Christopher Newport relievers combined for 12 strikeouts over the final six innings on Tuesday afternoon, but the 20th-ranked Captains (4-1) could not overcome an early deficit and suffered the team's first loss of the season, 7-4, to Bridgewater College (3-3). The Eagles scored five unearned runs in the second inning to take an early lead against CNU and held on despite the masterful pitching performance from the CNU bullpen.
At the plate, Christopher Newport scored four runs on nine hits in their fifth home game in as many days to open the 2024 season. The Captains will now play away from Captains Park for the next seven games through March 6 including three straight against nationally-ranked opponents at this weekend's D3 Showcase.
Playing amid frigid wind gusts and consistent 40-degree temps on Tuesday, the Captains looked primed to continue their hot streak to start the season with two runs in the bottom of the first. After rookie starter Connor Godshalk faced just three batters in the top of the first, the Captains put together a two-out rally in the bottom half started by designated hitter Zach Dzarnowski.
The senior DH singled up the middle and advanced to second on a hard-hit groundball through the left side by catcher Lincoln Lubsen. After Scott Crosson walked to load the bases, the Captains plated two on an error by the center fielder to take a 2-0 lead.
In the top of the second though, fielding errors of their own plagued the Captains as Bridgewater answered with five unearned runs. T.J. Johnson reached on a single and then moved up on the first of three errors in the inning by the CNU infield. Godshalk got a groundball to first base for the first out as both runners moved up ninety feet. Then, another groundout drove in a run, but the freshman starter calmly tried to limit the damage with just one run scored and two outs on the board. Unfortunately, a throwing error was followed by a single through the right side and a wild pitch. Then the third error of the inning allowed two more runs to score. Bridgewater capped the inning with a bases loaded walk to plate the pivotal fifth run, taking a 5-2 advantage.
The run proved mighty as CNU scored twice more in the bottom of the second to trim the lead to one, 5-4. Freshman Jacob Koenig and sophomore Ayden Stuffel delivered back-to-back singles to start a second-inning rally. Shortstop Josh Reinhold then plated a run with an RBI single into center field, extending his consecutive games reaching base streak to 47 games in the process.
With a runner on third, Dzarnowski drove in another run on a groundball and CNU closed to within one, 5-4, but the offense was limited from there. Eric Wilson singled in the third but was stranded on second after a wild pitch; Stuffel picked up another single in the fourth and was left on base. In the bottom of the eighth, Scott Crosson led off with a double, but never left second base after Bridgewater escaped the threat. And in the bottom of the ninth, CNU put two runners on with a walk by Koenig and a Reinhold single, but the Eagles closed out the win with a fly ball and fielder's choice to end the game.
On the other side of the field, the Captains pitching staff did a stellar job keeping Christopher Newport in the game after the early misfortune. After Godshalk, seven more CNU pitchers combined for 7.1 innings pitched and just two runs allowed. Ryan Morrison went 1.1 innings, striking out a pair, before Eli Novario made his collegiate debut in the third. Mitchell Mortensen struck out three over two clean innings and Peter Hoenig added two more in the sixth.
Over the last three innings veteran relievers Christian Williams, Kyle Lewis, and Daniel Elliott faced just 11 batters. The trio recorded seven strikeouts in the final eight outs of the game.
Stuffel and Reinhold led the offense with a pair of hits each while Crosson reached on a walk and added a double for CNU.
Christopher Newport will now head to the D3 Showcase in Greensboro, N.C. with three games scheduled this weekend. The Captains are slated to play No. 16 Denison at 10:00 a.m. on Friday followed by a 1:15 first pitch against No. 8 Marietta. On Saturday, CNU will take on No. 10 Cortland at 11:00 a.m.