NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The Christopher Newport baseball team opened up Capital Athletic Conference action on Wednesday with a bang, shutting out Southern Virginia University (6-12, 0-1) while exploding for 20 runs. The Captains matched a program-high with six home runs, while posting the largest margin of victory in a game since 2003. 

Six different players circled the bases with home runs, including the first career blast off the bat of J.T. Bellotti to get things started in the second inning. Nicholas Baham added his team-leading sixth blast, and senior A.J. Nicely added his second of the year. Rounding out the dynamite performance were pinch hitter Josh Moore, with a solo shot in the 7th, Austin Henry, with a three-run dinger, and Brandon Walker, a two-run job, capping the stellar team effort in the bottom of the 8th. It is just the third time in program history that CNU has managed six home runs in a game, and the first since April 10, 2014 against Randolph-Macon. 

The 20 runs scored were tied for the most in a single game since March 26, 2003 when the Captains shutout St. Mary's (Md.) in a 23-0 final. The only other time CNU has scored at least 20 runs in a game in that stretch also came against the Knights, in a 20-5 victory on April 2, 2014. 

While the offense was firing on all cylinders, the Captains pitching staff made the Southern Virginia bats sputter. Led by sophomore Thomas Packert (3-0), turning in his second consecutive impressive start, the CNU pitching staff allowed just three singles in the game, while striking out 10 and walking one. Packert tossed the first five, and was nearly perfect with the only hit allowed being a soft ground ball on the infield that Ryan Saunders legged out in the 4th. Packert got a fly out and a groundball for a double play to still manage only three batters faced in the inning. 

Southern Virginia managed just three baserunners against Packert, with one reaching via an error to lead off the game, and another getting hit-by-pitch in the 5th inning. The CNU sophomore finished with 5.0 innings pitched, one hit allowed, and eight strikeouts. He struck out the side in the fifth before the Captains turned to the bullpen for the final four innings. 

CNU had built a 14-0 lead at that point, primarily powered by an 8-run third frame. CNU scored one in the first on a sacrifice fly by Craig Johnson, and another on Bellotti's solo home run in the second. In the third, though, the offense batted around, lighting up the scoreboard eight times over. Bellotti took advantage of only his second start of the season by adding a two-run double to get things started. Then, Ryan Grubbs blistered a single through the left side of the infield to plate a run. Austin Henry and Jordan Mason went back-to-back with RBI doubles, and then Keith Roberts trickled in a run with a single through the left side. With five runs on the board already, Baham then stepped in and smashed a two-run no-doubter to left field to cap the big inning. 

The Captains scored in all but one inning. A.J. Nicely homered in the fourth, and CNU tacked on three more in the fifth inning. Brandon Ginch delivered an RBI groundout and Johnson smashed a shot deep to center field that looked destined for extra bases, but the Southern Virginia center fielder made a highlight-reel grab, diving back to snag the shot and force Johnson to settle for another sac fly. Later in the inning, Nicely delivered another RBI with a single through the left side of the infield, and CNU led, 14-0. 

Turning to the bullpen, the Captains got four solid innings out of four different relievers. Austin Slough tossed a clean sixth, followed by a nice inning from rookie Tyler Jumper. Rookie Brian Owens added two strikeouts in a perfect 8th inning, and freshman Alex Biddison capped the shutout with a three-batter, six-pitch ninth frame. 

As the CNU pitching rolled, the Captains offense continued to rock, scoring another run in the seventh and five more in the bottom of the 8th. In the seventh, senior Josh Moore smashed a hanging breaker over the right field wall, and in the eighth, Austin Henry accounted for three of the five on one swing, blasting a shot over the left center field wall. With two outs and one on, Brandon Walker took advantage of his second at-bat of the day, hammering a shot out to left field for the sixth home run of the day.  

Six Captains finished with multi-hit performances as CNU out-hit the Knights, 19-3. Jordan Mason led the way with a 3-hit effort, going 3-5 with two doubles and three runs scored. 

The first shutout of the season for the Captains started league play with a win. CNU will return to Capital Athletic Conference play on Saturday, March 10, as the Captains will open a doubleheader against Marymount University at Noon. The games, originally scheduled for a 3:00 pm start, have been moved to Bishop O'Connell High School's field for an earlier start due to the threat of poor weather.