SALISBURY, Md. -- The 16th-ranked Christopher Newport baseball team picked up a key win in Capital Athletic Conference action on Wednesday afternoon, taking down 11th-ranked Salisbury University on the road, 10-5. The Captains (23-9, 8-6) avenged a home loss to the Sea Gulls (19-9, 11-5) behind timely hitting and another strong start by Michael Thomas. 

Junior southpaw Michael Thomas has been sensational since joining the rotation three weeks prior to his Wednesday tilt against nationally-ranked Salisbury. The Sea Gulls were averaging 10 runs per game in conference play this season, but Thomas used a devastating breaking ball to mix up one of the nation's top offenses for eight innings, holding the Sea Gulls to just four earned runs. 

Thomas (4-0) struck out five batters and scattered seven hits over 8+ innings. He retired the side in order three times, including in the bottom of the 8th as the middle of the Sea Gulls order went down 1-2-3 with the Captains clinging to a 5-4 lead. 

Into the top of the 9th, however, the CNU offense found some insurance runs at the key moment to secure Thomas his fourth win of the season. With one out, rookie Austin Henry delivered a single down the left field line, and promptly stole second. Not wanting anything to do with the Captains' leading hitter, Tommy Vitaletti, Salisbury intentionally walked the senior outfielder for the second time in the game. The move would prove fruitless when Brandon Ginch followed with a walk and Keith Roberts delivered a sacrifice fly to center with the bases loaded. 

Holding a two-run cushion, the Captains were not satisfied as Connor Henderson stepped in and delivered an RBI single up the middle to plate Vitaletti. One batter later, Kyle Corwin took advantage of new life at the plate and opened the game up with a towering three-run blast to left center field. Earlier in the at-bat, Corwin popped up with what would have been an inning-ending foulout to the catcher, but the ball dropped out of his glove, keeping Corwin alive in the at-bat. On the very next pitch, the senior third baseman unloaded for his second home run of the season. 

The big blast by Corwin made the score 10-4 and put the Captains in control with just three outs remaining in the game. Thomas returned to the mound for the bottom half of the ninth, but a lead-off walk led head coach John Harvell to turn to sophomore reliever Craig Johnson for the final three outs. Johnson struck out two of the first three batters he faced before Pete Grasso singled home the Sea Gulls' final run of the game. One batter later, Johnson retired Tom LaBriola on a groundball to second base, securing the win for the Captains. 

CNU took an early lead in the game, scoring five runs in the first four innings on Grasso, the Salisbury starter. The first run came on a sacrifice fly by Collin Lawless in the top of the 2nd, and the Captains tacked on three more in the 3rd courtesy of an RBI fielder's choice by Vitaletti and a two-run blast by Roberts.  After Salisbury scored two in the 3rd, CNU added one more in the top of the 4th on a solo shot by Lawless. Grasso suffered the loss, falling to 4-2 this season.

Salisbury scored once in the 6th and again in the 7th, but Thomas worked out of jams to strand 2 runners in each frame. 

Roberts led the Captains with a 2-for-3 effort with a double, home run and a walk while driving in three runs. Mason also had two hits, going 2-for-5, while Vitaletti was 0-for-2 with three walks, including two intentional free passes. Eight Captains scored in the game, as CNU plated 10 runs on 10 hits. 

Brad Keith was the lone Sea Gull with multiple hits, going 2-for-4, while LaBriola delivered the only extra-base hit with a double. Thomas held the powerful Salisbury lineup to just seven hits, six singles. 

Christopher Newport returns to action on Thursday to make up a doubleheader against Penn State Harrisburg. The Captains will face the Lions on the road Thursday with first pitch of game one scheduled for Noon.