YORK, Pa. -- Behind the fifth complete game effort of the season from senior Bryan Bierlein, the Christopher Newport baseball team handed the 23rd-ranked York College (Pa.) Spartans just their second conference loss of the year, earning a doubleheader split in the Capital Athletic Conference finale. The Captains (20-13, 11-5) won, 7-2, in game one, and dropped game two, 9-8, as the Spartans improved to 20-4 overall, 11-2 in league play. CNU will be the No. 3 seed in next week's CAC Tournament, and will host an opening round game on Tuesday, April 15 against No. 4 Frostburg State. 

The Spartans had already secured the 2014 CAC regular season title and will host the conference championship next weekend, April 18-20. A three-way tie for second saw Salisbury University take the No. 2 seed by virtue of head-to-head tiebreakers against CNU and Frostburg State. Wesley and St. Mary's round out the tournament field as an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament will be on the line starting Tuesday. 

Bierlein continued his stellar senior season on Saturday, becoming the first Captain to pitch five complete games in a season since 2008. He tossed all nine innings in the win against the nationally-ranked Spartans, scattering seven hits and striking out six batters. He walked just one as he improved to 5-3 on the season, lowering his season ERA to 1.16. 

The Spartans got on the board first, scratching across one run in the bottom of the second, but Bierlein limited the damage. After giving up three straight one-out singles, including an RBI knock from Scott Steffy, Bierlein struck out J.J. Oleniacz and induced a groundout to first to end the threat. 

In the fourth, CNU's offense opened up and took the lead with a five-run frame. Senior Billy Steel led off and reached on a hit-by-pitch, followed by back-to-back singles from Jacob Houston and Curtis Pittman. Pittman's drive into left field scored Steel for the first run of the game and was the first of four RBI in the inning.

Travis Younger reached on a base-hit bunt to load the bases, and Kyle Corwin followed with an RBI single into right field. Justin Weaver hit a sacrifice fly, followed by another RBI single, this time from A.J. Nicely, to round out the scoring in the inning. 

The Captains defense backed Bierlein over the next two innings, as the senior right-hander induced a pair of inning-ending double plays. He faced the minimum three batters in five of his nine innings pitched. 

CNU tacked on two runs in the ninth, as Steel kept the inning alive with a two-out double. The two-base hit ties him with Trae Bailey and Rob Robinson, with 49 career doubles, for the most in program history. Houston followed with a two-run blast over the left field wall to increase the lead to 7-1. It was Houston's third home run of the season. 

The Spartans would add an unearned run in the bottom half of the ninth, but Bierlein ended the game with a strikeout, clinching the Captains fourth straight win. 

In game two of the doubleheader, senior Nick Santalucia started for CNU, but would not factor into the decision after being relieved following a strong first two innings. The lefty struck out three in two innings of scoreless ball before giving way to junior Jordan Boze. 

The Captains led 2-0 early, but York answered with five runs to take a 5-2 lead headed into the sixth inning. CNU looked poised for a come-from-behind victory when the offense again exploded for a big inning against the Spartans. In the top of the eighth, the Captains put up six run inning, taking an 8-6 lead. 

Younger, Corwin and Weaver hit back-to-back-to-back singles to load the bases, and Younger came in to start the scoring on a wild pitch. Nicely walked to keep the bases loaded when head coach John Harvell looked to the bench for pinch hitter Austin Kilbourne. The junior singled through the left side to score Corwin and the inning was kept alive on an error by the shortstop. Houston stepped up with another big hit, clearing the bases with a double to left center, capping a five-RBI day. 

The CNU pen would not be able to hold onto the lead, though, as the home team answered with one in the bottom of the eighth and two in the bottom of the ninth. Colbe Herr led off the final inning with a solo home run, and then Logan Countryman slipped an RBI single through the left side of the infield for the game-winning hit. 

Houston led the CNU offense with a four-hit performance in the twin bill, driving in five and scoring three times. Younger and Corwin also had four hits, as Younger scored three times with one RBI and Corwin was plated twice with one RBI. Rounding out the strong performances was rookie A.J. Nicely, going 2-for-4 in both games. 

Junior Tommy Vitaletti was 0-for-5 in game two, ending his team-best 20-game hit streak. It was the longest consecutive-game hit streak since Trae Bailey's program-record 30-game streak in 2008. 

Christopher Newport will host the Bobcats on Tuesday, April 15, with a game time yet to be announced. Live stats and a live video webcast will be available at CNUsports.com.