NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The Christopher Newport baseball team surged past the previously undefeated Washington & Lee Generals on Thursday afternoon for a 10-4 victory at home. The Captains improved to 5-4 after erasing a 4-0 deficit in the middle innings with nine runs scored between the fifth and sixth inning. 

Washington & Lee was saddled with it's first loss of the season, falling to 6-1. The quick-moving first half of the game saw starting pitchers Ben Greer (0-1) and Christopher Newport's Teddy Herbert (2-0) dueling through the lineup until the fifth inning. There, Herbert gave up three in the top half of the inning to fall behind 4-0 but his offense came to life in the bottom half scoring five in the inning. 

Thanks to a strong showing from the bullpen, the Captains would go on to score 10 unanswered runs and pull away for the six-run victory. After the five-run burst in the fifth, CNU would tack on four more in the sixth and a final run in the bottom of the eighth. Rookie Jack Rosenberg, junior Tyler Jumper, and senior Brian Owens came out of the bullpen for Christopher Newport to shut down the Generals offense with just one hit in the final four innings. The trio of relievers also combined for five strikeouts for the Captains. 

The first three batters of the fifth inning reached for the Captains as Evan Baer reached on an error, moved up to third on a double into right field for Michael Martorano and then came into score on an RBI single for Samuel Essex. The freshman designated hitter would finish the day 2-for-3 with 2 runs and 2 RBI to lead the Captains attack in just his second career start. 

After the Captains got on the board with the Essex single, Ethan Weaver would plate a run on a groundball and Conner Clark would pull the Captains within one with a single into center field. Freshman Jonathan Fisher reached on a single to right and with two outs, an error would allow both runners to score as Christopher Newport took the lead, 5-4. 

Baer would then lead off the bottom of the 6th with a double and move up 90 feet on a single through the left side by Martorano. Essex again delivered an RBI single and moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Weaver. Clark then ripped a scorching line drive down the right field line for a two-run double as the Captains offense kept firing. The junior stole third base and raced home on a groundball by Fisher. Fisher also delivered the games final run when a sacrifice fly allowed Brayden Hodges to trot home in the bottom of the 8th. 

In all, the Captains outhit the Generals, 11-8, with multi-hit performances from Clark, Hicks, Martorano, and Essex. Clark led the team with 3 RBI and 2 runs scored while adding a stolen base. Essex and Fisher each drove in a pair while the former was one of four players to score twice in the contest. 

It was the first time in over 30 years the two teams matched up with the last game coming during the 1987 season. Christopher Newport draws even in the all-time series, 6-6, as head coach John Harvell picks up the win in his first ever matchup against Washington & Lee. He has now won games against 16 different programs from the Commonwealth of Virginia. 

Christopher Newport will now hit the road for five straight games with three in Myrtle Beach next week. The Captains will take on Eastern Nazarene College on March 2, New England College on March 3, and Johnson & Wales University on March 4. A live video webcast will be available for the first two games at CNUsports.com/watch.