NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- With a run-scoring wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth, the nationally-ranked Christopher Newport baseball team walked it off against Piedmont University (12-8) on Sunday afternoon, taking two of three in the series and improving to 13-6 on the season. Rookie Aaron Maxie represented the game-winning run for the Captains after Dylan Weber and a pair of relievers highlighted another dominant pitching performance for the CNU staff. 

Maxie reached on a lead-off walk in the bottom of the ninth in his first plate appearance of the game. Coming on as a defensive replacement in the top of the 8th, Maxie stepped to the plate to start the ninth and worked a walk on five pitches. That would bring on the Division III leader in saves, Braden Simms, out of the bullpen, but the Captains manufactured the run-scoring chance. Also facing his first pitch of the afternoon, Justin Liakos laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Maxie up 90 feet. Then, after fouling off three pitches including one that just barely didn't sneak inside the bag for a game-winning hit, Scott Crosson delivered a groundball to the right side that pushed Maxie another 90 feet closer. 

The drama did not have a chance to build with two out and a runner on third as the first pitch of the at-bat to Josh Reinhold would hit the dirt and skip by the Piedmont catcher to allow Maxie to sprint home for the game-winning score. 

The win was credited to Kyle Lewis (1-0), who earned his first victory after a dominant ninth inning on the hill. He struck out two of the three batters he faced while adding a pop fly to left field for a quick 1-2-3 frame. It came just moments after another veteran CNU reliever, Danny Checkosky, had an even more efficient relief appearance in the eighth. Checkosky retired the side in order on four pitches with a fly ball to center and back-to-back groundballs to third base.

The two savvy veterans came on in relief of Weber, who put together another sparkling start for the Captains over the first seven innings. The fifth-year starter surrendered an infield single to the first batter of the game, but quickly struck out the second and erased the runner with an inning-ending double play. He then struck out the side in the second and added two more K's in the third to get through the lineup the first time having faced the minimum with six strikeouts. 

In the fourth, Piedmont struck first when a walk came back to bite Weber after a stolen base and a single up the middle. The veteran limited the damage to just one run on one hit, however, with a fielder's choice and his seventh strikeout to end the threat. In the fifth, Weber punched out two more and stranded a runner and then added two more left on base in the sixth. He came back out for the seventh and an error to start the inning would allow an unearned run to come in against Weber after a two-out double down the left field line. Again, the southpaw limited the damage with a groundball to short to close out his day with an impressive 7.0 innings pitched, five hits allowed, and 10 strikeouts paired with just one walk. Saddled with a no decision, it was his third double-digit strikeout performance of the season and his sixth effort in seven total appearances in which he has allowed one earned run or less in a game. 

Offensively, the Captains racked up 11 hits in the game but stranded eight runners on base. The Captains scored twice in the sixth and added the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth. 

In the sixth, CNU got a lead-off single from Lincoln Lubsen and a sacrifice bunt by Doc Daniels to move the starting catcher into scoring position. Jake Benedict followed with a single into center, bringing up Ayden Stuffel with runners at the corners and a chance to tie the game with a base hit. The left-handed outfielder jumped on the first pitch he saw and ripped a single into the left center field gap to plate the run and move Benedict up to third. During eric Wilson's at-bat, Stuffel would get caught in a rundown between first and second long enough for Benedict to sprint home with the go-ahead run and CNU took a 2-1 lead. 

After Piedmont answered with a run in the top of the seventh, the bullpen did the rest and set up the game-winning inning in the bottom of the ninth. 

Three Captains finished with multi-hit performances including a 2-for-3 showing from Daniels that came in addition to his aforementioned sacrifice bunt. Benedict had two hits in four at-bats with a run scored and sophomore shortstop Josh Reinhold led the way with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate with three singles. The Lewes, Delaware native extended his career-opening on-base streak to 61 straight games, tying Trevor Urban from Wooster (March 14, 1998-April 1, 1999) for the sixth longest streak of consecutive games on base in Division III history. He also extended his team-leading hit streak to eight straight games. 

Christopher Newport will return to action this Wednesday, March 27 as they play host to nationally-ranked North Carolina Wesleyan at 3:00 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at CNUsports.com