ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. -- Christopher Newport University head coach John Harvell collected wins number 399 and 400 on Wednesday afternoon, as the Captains ended a three-week break in the early-season schedule with a doubleheader sweep over North Carolina Wesleyan (2-10). The Captains improved to 5-1 with a pair of wins powered by game-winning runs in the final inning of play. CNU won 5-3 with a two-run seventh in the first, and 5-2 with a three-run final frame in the second game.

The Captains head coach for the last 15 years, Harvell reached the 400-win milestone in just under 600 games for a winning percentage of 67%. With an overall mark of 400-196-3, CNU has averaged over 28 wins per season since Harvell took over the reigns in 2001. The Captains have made the NCAA Tournament seven times, advancing to the Finals in three of those trips. 

The Captains' propensity to come up big in the final inning was on display again on Wednesday, as CNU captured its third and fourth win of the season with clutch final innings. CNU used a 3-run ninth inning to beat McMurry and a 2-run bottom of the eighth at home against Eastern Mennonite for two of their first three wins. Today, playing a pair of seven-inning contests in the non-conference doubleheader, the Captains were tied heading into the top of the seventh twice, and responded with multiple runs to get past the Battling Bishops.

After enduring a three-week hiatus in the schedule due to winter weather conditions, Harvell decided to break up the innings with his pitching staff, as no one pitched more than two innings in the two games. Lefty Joe Burris (0-0) started the first game of the twin bill and Blake Ream (0-0) got the call in the second, but neither went more than one inning. The bullpen was strong for CNU, particularly in game two as the relievers tossed six shutout innings with just three hits allowed. 

With the pitching staff holding on trailing 2-0 after the first inning, the Captains offense struggled through the first five innings against starter Richard Harrell. Harrell allowed just two hits in the first five frames, striking out seven. He came out for the sixth, but the Captains chased him with the game-tying run coming on three straight singles. Brandon Ginch started things off and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Senior Austin Kilbourne singled to left, but Ginch was unable to score until the next batter, Connor Henderson, drilled a shot into left field to plate the tying run. 

With momentum swung clearly back in their direction, junior Adam Emerson came on to pitch the bottom of the sixth for CNU and quickly retired the side facing just four batters. Andrew Franklin was called in for N.C. Wesleyan for the top half of the seventh inning, when CNU exploded for the eventual game-winning inning. Catcher Brandon Walker led off with a walk and moved up on a sacrifice bunt by A.J. Nicely. Keith Roberts delivered the eventual game-winning strike when he singled home Walker with a shot into left field. For insurance, Ginch stepped in and belted a two-run homer over the left field wall to put CNU up 5-2. Emerson struck out a pair and again faced just four batters in the bottom of the seventh to earn the win, his first of the season. 

In game one, the story was very similar, as the Bishops starter, Nick Henry, had CNU off balance for the first five innings. Into the sixth, though, Henry gave up the game-tying run when Kilbourne tripled home Roberts, who had singled to lead off the inning. CNU took the lead on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Corwin, but the Bishops answered with a Stephen Machin pinch hit RBI single. 

Headed into the seventh, NCWC reliever Joseph Borgerding got off to a good start by retiring the first two batters. With two outs, though, Nicely double down the right field line and came in to score on a Keith Roberts RBI single. Henderson added another RBI single later in the inning, plating Roberts and giving the Captains a two-run edge with three outs to go. 

Kilbourne, who came on to pitch in the sixth, finished out the seventh to pick up his first win of the year. He tossed 1.1 innings with two hits allowed. 

The Captains clutch hitting has been led by Roberts, who now has three game-winning hits in the young season. He finished the day 3-for-8 with 2 RBI and 3 runs scored. Ginch was 4-for-6 in the doubleheader, driving in a pair with his first home run of the season. 

Christopher Newport is next scheduled to play at Gallaudet University (0-1) on Friday, March 6 at 2:00 pm.