DEMOREST, Ga. -- CNU scored runs in each of the first five innings to blow past Blackburn College (0-1) in a neutral site contest today, 14-4. The fourth-ranked Captains improved to 5-0, led by senior Connor Madden with an impressive 5-for-5 day at the plate. Madden is hitting .625 through the first five games of the season, with 13 RBI.

CNU led wire-to-wire, putting two across in the first inning and never looked back. With two outs, Madden singled to start the rally, followed by a single by Matt Shoemaker. With two on and two out, senior right fielder Steven Lindemuth smacked a double to score both runs.

Blackburn would get one back in the bottom half of the inning, an unearned run off of CNU starter Jacob Vaughan. Vaughan settled in and allowed just one hit in his first five innings of work.

CNU again scored two in the second with two outs. Shannon Mark tripled to score Steven Keener and Billy Steel followed with a single to take a 4-1 lead. The Captains added an unearned run in the third and tacked on three more in the fourth inning. Madden was the key again, driving in a pair on a single and then scoring on a sacrifice fly by Luke Saunders.

A third RBI single of the game for Madden made it five straight innings with at least one run when he plated Ben Lenda in the fifth. Lindemuth was hit by a pitch and Saunders singled home two more runs in the inning as the Captains then led 12-1.

Blackburn finally touched up Vaughan in the bottom of the sixth, scoring three runs on four hits in the inning, aided by a pair of errors. The sophomore right-hander came back out in the seventh, though, for another shutout inning. He finished with 7.0 innings pitched, three earned, three strikeouts and five hits allowed, picking up his first win of the season. Rookie Jordan Boze closed it out with two innings of no-hit relief.

Madden had four RBI and three runs scored as part of his 5-5 effort, adding a walk for good measure. Mark finished 2-4 with two RBI, two runs scored and Lindemuth and Saunders each had three runs batted in.

Blackburn's sophomore center fielder Donny Fuhrhop was 2-3 with a pair of runs scored and one RBI.

CNU returns to action on Sunday as they take on host Piedmont College at 4:00 pm.