BUENA VISTA, Va. -- Forced to play seven games in six days because of rainouts earlier this season, the Christopher Newport offense has shrugged off any layoff from the weather and has exploded to start this tough portion of the schedule. After scoring 16 runs on 21 hits against Mary Washington on Tuesday, the Captains bats blistered Southern Virginia University (5-14) for a season-high 20 runs on 19 hits. Sophomore Kyle Corwin led the attack, blasting a career-high two home runs in a 4-for-7 effort as CNU improved to 14-10 on the season. 

As the regular season winds down to its final two weeks, the Christopher Newport offense is rounding into form. CNU scored 36 runs combined in the last two games, marking the most runs scored by the Captains in back-to-back contests since 2003. 

Six different players had multi-hit games in the win for CNU, and while Corwin had a pair of solo home runs, junior Tommy Vitaletti had the best line on the day with five hits in six at-bats, including three doubles. Both players scored three times and drove in three as they played a huge role in CNU jumping out an early 8-1 lead after three innings. 

Vitaletti led off the game with his first double of the game and would score later in the inning on a RBI groundout by Jacob Houston. Justin Weaver would also score in the first frame on Corwin's first RBI of the game, a single up the middle. Southern Virginia cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first, scoring one run on CNU starter Jordan Boze (2-2), but CNU tacked on six more in the third to blow the game open. 

Three errors in the inning gave CNU extra opportunities to score, but it was extra-base knocks from Tommy Kane, Vitaletti and Weaver that capitalized for the big inning. Kane double to left center to put a pair of runners in scoring position, who were plated by Vitaletti's second double. Then, after the Knights recorded the second out, Weaver smoked a double to right center to plate the sixth run of the inning. 

Now holding onto a big lead, the Captains would methodically add to it through the rest of the game. Corwin's first home run of the game came in the fourth; later in the inning Curtis Pittman was robbed of a home run for the third out. In the sixth, the script was nearly the same, as Corwin smacked a one-out solo shot to left field, but later in the inning Pittman would not be denied as he too blasted a home run to left. 

CNU would score nine more runs in the final two innings, highlighted by a big fly off the bat of rookie Connor Henderson. Without having to put the bat on the ball, the Captains loaded the bases in front of the late-inning replacement. Vitaletti was hit-by-pitch, followed by walks for Billy Steel and Weaver to pack the bags. Henderson then stepped in and blistered a 1-1 pitch over the left field wall for a grand slam, the first home run of his career. 

The box score was littered with strong performances, including a 2-for-3 effort with three walks by Weaver, who reached base five times in six plate appearances; Vitaletti reached six times in seven plate appearances, going 5-for-6 with three runs and three RBI; and Corwin's two HR-day came as part of a 4-for-7 effort, with three RBI and three runs scored. 

Boze picked up the win, striking out three in two innings of work. Five different pitchers combined to allow just six hits in the game. Justin Garber through three perfect innings in relief of Boze, followed by one inning each by seniors Nick Santalucia and Weaver. Kyle Goddard finished out the win with three strikeouts in the final two innings. 

Christopher Newport continues the tough weather-forced stretch in the schedule with a non-conference home game on Thursday, April 3 versus North Carolina Wesleyan (9-16-1). First pitch at Captains Park is set for 3:00 pm.