NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Senior Nick Santalucia (5-0) tossed eight scoreless innings and the Captains offense hammered out 15 hits, highlighted by a towering two-run home run from Billy Steel, as Christopher Newport (12-10, 6-2) shut out the Mary Washington Eagles (12-11, 2-6) in Capital Athletic Conference action, 8-0. 

Santalucia worked his way out of a tough first inning after giving up a pair of hard-hit singles, and from there he was sensational. After a lead-off single, the senior lefty picked off the runner for the first out, but the next two batters reached on a walk and another single. With the Eagles threatening, Santalucia got James Keller to line into a double play as Travis Younger made the easy play to escape the early jam. 

From the second inning on, though, it was all Santalucia. Over the next seven innings, he would not allow more than one baserunner per inning, and only one runner reached third base. He quickly worked through innings, striking out five and leaning on his defense throughout. In the top of the fifth inning, first baseman Curtis Pittman made a highlight-reel grab in foul territory, snaring an over the shoulder basket catch just before crashing into the wall. The very next batter, sophomore Jacob Houston tracked down a would-be run-scoring extra-base hit down the line in left field to end the inning. 

Then, after a leadoff double in the top of the seventh, Steel made a pair of heads up plays at shortstop. He first gunned down the lead runner on a ground ball in the hole, and then made a sterling back-handed grab before firing a hard throw to second for the second out of the inning. Third baseman Kyle Corwin also made a nice grab on a blistering line drive down the line in the fourth inning.

Offensively, the Captains were firing on all cylinders as they were retired in order only twice in eight innings on Friday afternoon. In the third inning, CNU broke through to take the early lead. Junior Tommy Vitaletti led off with a single into center field, setting up Steel's powerful blast to left field. He hit his eighth home run of the season convincingly over the left field wall to give CNU a 2-0 lead. Corwin added a sacrifice fly later in the inning after Jacob Houston and Travis Younger singled. 

CNU added another three runs in the bottom of the fourth, doing all the damage with two outs. Pittman and Steel singled before senior Justin Weaver doubled home a run, followed by a two-run single down the right field line by Houston. 

Carrying a 6-0 lead into the seventh, the Captains would tack on two more insurance runs, taking advantage of a pair of Mary Washington miscues. Younger and Corwin opened the inning with back-to-back singles, followed by a groundball from rookie A.J. Nicely to score both runners, aided by an error by the shortstop. 

Senior Jacob Vaughan came in to finish out the combined shutout in the ninth inning and promptly struck out the first batter, Connor Finnerty. After giving up a base-hit bunt to James SInk, the right-hander ended the game by getting Brendan Jones to ground into a game-ending double play. 

Santalucia improved to 5-0 on the season, lowering his ERA to 0.75 with 31 strikeouts in 35 innings of work. He finished with a dominant line of 8.0 innings pitched, six hits allowed, two walks and five strikeouts. Tyler Daig (1-3) suffered the loss for UMW, after allowing four earned runs in 3.2 innings of work. 

Steel and Younger each led the Captains with three hits, while Houston, Weaver and Pittman each added two-hit performances. Steel scored twice and drove in a pair, while Houston also picked up two RBI. 

SCHEDULE NOTE: Christopher Newport's doubleheader against Frostburg State scheduled for this weekend has been postponed due to expected inclement weather. Stay tuned to CNUsports.com for an announcement of a makeup date. The Captains will return to the field on Monday, March 31 in Fredericksburg, Va. to take on the University of Mary Washington at 3:00 pm.