BRIDGEWATER, Va. -- In the first game since their highly anticipated series against top-ranked Shenandoah, the second-ranked Christopher Newport University Captains were stunned by the Bridgewater Eagles (19-12) on the road, 5-4. CNU suffered just its fourth loss of the season and fell to 29-4 overall. 

The game was a pitchers duel from the start as only one run was scored in the first six innings. CNU led, 1-0, after Luke Saunders singled in Drue Vernon in the first inning. Tyler Milstead started for the Eagles and held CNU to just the one run through six, while rookie Bryan Bierlein spun a gem for CNU through six as well. 

In the seventh, the Captains tacked on a second run after designated hitter Steven Keener doubled with one out and was replaced by pinch runner Tony Adams. Adams came around to score on a Billy Steel single to left field to give CNU the 2-0 cushion. 

Bridgewater finally got to Bierlein in the bottom half, though, taking the lead, 3-2 in the seventh inning. The Eagles chased Bierlein after giving up one run on a Bryan Sanderson RBI double, leaving with one out and two runners on. Matt Verdillo couldn't get out of the inning, as both runners came around to score on an Andrew Hacker 2-RBI single. 

The Captains answered in the top half of the eighth, re-taking the lead, 4-3. With one out, Shannon Mark reached with a base-hit bunt, followed by a single from Saunders. Catcher Ben Lenda stepped in and drilled a double to score Mark and Saunders came around to score on a throwing error by the shortstop on the relay. 

With a one run lead and two innings to play, head coach John Harvell called on one of the hottest pitchers on the team, closerRyan Fleischmann. The sophomore gave up a lead-off single followed by a sacrifice bunt and a walk to create a one-out, two on situation. He came back to strike out Christian Armstrong, but followed it up with a walk to load the bases. Fleischmann then got the ground ball he needed, but a throwing error scored Alex Hogge and Jay Thompson for the Eagles, putting the home team up 5-4. 

CNU got a lead-off single by pinch hitter Chris McDougal in the top of the ninth, but a double play and ground out ended the Captains chance at a late comeback. 

Fleischmann suffered his first loss and blown save of the season, falling to 4-1 despite not allowing an earned run in an inning of work. Bierlein finished the day with 6.1 innings pitched, four strikeouts and three earned runs allowed. Offensively, the Captains got two hits each from Mark, Saunders and Lenda. 

Bridgewater was led by starter Tyler Milstead, who threw 8.0 innings with three strikeouts and three earned runs allowed. Kyle Henshaw closed out the ninth for the save and the Eagles got multi-hit games from Bryan Sanderson, Jonathan Mason, Andrew Hacker and Jay Thompson.

Christopher Newport stays out on the road for another game on Thursday as they take on Randolph-Macon College.