NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Jimmy Adkins pitched seven shutout innings and the third-ranked Salisbury University baseball team held off a late Christopher Newport rally, winning its seventh straight game 7-5 over the Captains on Wednesday afternoon at Captains Park.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Justin Meekins broke the ice for the Sea Gulls in the top of the third with a solo home run to left, his fourth of the season.
- In the fourth, Cameron Hyder beat out an infield single with one out and Luke Weddell followed with a base hit of his own. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch, and eventually Hyder was called out on interference. After a walk, Sky Rahill knocked a single into right center, scoring Weddell to make it 2-0 Salisbury.
- SU tacked on two more in the fifth. With two on after walks and one out, Stephen Rice slashed a double down the right field line to score one, then Hyder hit into a run-scoring fielder's choice to put the Sea Gulls up 4-0.
- Sea Gull starting pitcher Jimmy Adkins cruised through seven scoreless innings, working out of trouble as his pitch count hit triple digits in the seventh. With men on the corners and two out after a double, passed ball and hit batsman, Adkins struck out Ethan Weaver swinging to keep his goose egg intact.
- The Captains finally broke up the shutout in the eighth. Connor Clark reached on an error at short to lead off and took second on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Eric O'Brien singled him home to get CNU within 4-1.
- Salisbury responded by capitalizing on CNU miscues in the top of the ninth. Kavi Caster worked a one-out walk, took second on a wild pitch, and stole third. Adkins, who moved to DH after exiting as a pitcher, then walked and stole second himself to put two men in scoring position.
- After a strikeout, Rice hit a two-out groundball that the shortstop Jonathan Fisher threw away, allowing Caster to score. Hyder then legged out an infield hit to bring Adkins home, and Rice eventually scored on a wild pitch to push Salisbury ahead 7-1.
- The Captains would not go away quietly, though. With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth, Fisher singled home one run and O'Brien drove in another on a sac fly. Kyle Schofield came up next and hit a single into left that Caster misplayed, allowing two runs to score to cut it to 7-5.
- With the tying run at bat, Sea Gull reliever Brock Hilligoss wouldn't let the Captains get any closer, striking out Scott Crosson to nail down the result.
SALISBURY GAME NOTES
- Jimmy Adkins (3-0) dominated in his second start of the year, scattering five hits across seven scoreless innings while walking two and striking out nine on 108 pitches. In his two starts, Adkins has given up just three runs in 14.1 innings (1.88 ERA) with 15 punchouts.
- Fresh of earning a slot on the D3Baseball.com Team of the Week, Justin Meekins began his campaign for another appearance, going 3-for-5 with a solo home run.
- Cameron Hyder and Sky Rahill finished with three hits and an RBI apiece, while Adkins and Stephen Rice each scored a pair of runs.
- The Sea Gulls attempted nine stolen bases on the day and swiped six bags, led by Hyder's two. SU now has 43 stolen bases through its first 12 games of the season.
CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT GAME NOTES
- Jay Cassady (0-2) was saddled the loss for the Captains, allowing four runs on nine hits in five innings.
- Jonathan Fisher went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
- Eric O'Brien drove in a pair of runs.
- Alec Reilly finished 2-for-4 with a double for CNU's only extra-base hit of the day.
UP NEXT
- The Sea Gulls and Captains will square off twice more this week as the series moves to Salisbury on Friday afternoon.
- First pitch from Sea Gull Baseball Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. with coverage beginning on the Sea Gull Sports Network (SGSN) at 3:15 p.m.