NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The red-hot bat of Jay Cassady headlined the day with eight runs batted in and a pair of two-run home runs during a couple of Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference wins as the Christopher Newport baseball team swept a doubleheader against Mary Washington Saturday afternoon. The Captains scored 28 runs in the twin bill while improving to 13-7 overall and 6-3 in C2C action. 

Cassady launched two home runs in game one, both with a runner on, and then posted another extremely productive day in game two. The freshman first baseman contributed at the plate and in the field including a stellar over the wall grab in foul territory to end a Mary Washington threat. No one in the Captains lineup has been hotter than Cassady this week, who ran his hit streak to seven while logging three straight multi-hit performances and 11 RBI, 3 HR and 6 runs scored in the last 24 hours. 

While Cassady was the featured bat on the day, senior Josh Husby dazzled on the mound as he improved to 5-0 with another gem in game one. Husby struck out seven and flirted with a complete game before running into a little trouble in the eighth inning. The Hampton, Va. native still posted his longest outing of the season and allowed just two runs on six hits in the contest. 

With the doubleheader sweep, Mary Washington saw it's record slip to 3-11 overall and 2-6 against conference competition. 

The long ball was the story offensively for CNU in the first game with Alec Reilly and Jonathan Fisher each adding solo shots to go with Cassady's two bombs. Reilly's mash opened the scoring in the bottom of the second when he hammered a 2-1 pitch the opposite way for his first home run of the season. After a Scott Crosson single, Cassady stepped in and delivered his second mammoth blast to dead center field in as many days. After working ahead in the count, Cassady matched long ball from Friday with an equally eye-popping round-tripper over the wall in center. 

Mary Washington got on the board with a solo HR in the fourth, but it would be the lone blemish against Husby as he cruised through the first seven innings. As he hunted for a much-needed long outing after the Captains utilized five bullpen arms on Friday, Husby sailed through the sixth by retiring the side on four pitches. Meanwhile, the CNU offense added runs in the fifth on Fisher's dinger and two more in the seventh to take a 6-1 advantage. In the seventh, Brayden Hodges was was hit by a pitch and then stole second before Conner Clark walked. The two moved up on a sacrifice bunt and then came around to score on an error and sacrifice fly. 

The Eagles scored one in the eighth but the Captains erased any threat of a comeback when Cassady blistered his second two-run home run of the game in the bottom half of the inning. Again Crosson singled ahead of Cassady and again, Cassady smashed a 2-1 pitch over the wall -- this time to left field. 

With the win, Husby improved to 5-0 on the season and picked up his 19th career win in his 30th career start. With the win, he moved into a tie for fifth all-time at CNU in career victories with the best winning percentage amongst the top-ten in program history (19-4). Heading into Saturday's start, the senior ace ranked 32nd in Division III in victories and 12th among active players over his career. 

While individual efforts highlighted the first game, the second saw head coach John Harvell empty the bench as 11 different players logged at least one RBI in the game. CNU jumped on Mary Washington with a five-run second inning and then blew the game wide open with a 10-run fifth. Four more came in the sixth and a single run in the eighth for the final tally of 20 runs. 

Like in the first game, Reilly kicked things off with an RBI double and then Cassady added an RBI two-bagger of his own. After a hit-by-pitch for Drew Caroline, Conner Clark stepped in and singled up the middle for an RBI. Fisher added an RBI infield single to round out the 5-run burst to put the Captains in control.

The game-changing bottom of the fifth saw CNU send 16 batters to the plate and record 10 runs on just three hits. Patience at the plate was key as CNU had six walks, including two with the bases loaded, in the inning, while also earning two free passes with HBP's. Cassady continued his hot streak with an RBI hit-by-pitch and a two-run single in the inning. 

With the game in hand, CNU saw reserves contribute up and down the lineup. Derek Furr singled to open the sixth inning and Ethan Weaver followed with a double to left center field. Nathan Poretz walked and rookie Shane Kelleher  smacked a two-run single up the middle. The line kept moving with Matt Rhodes chipping in an RBI single. Jake Perry earned his first career plat appearance and picked up an RBI base on balls to finish off a four-run inning. Perry would also earn his first career hit two innings later when he singled into left field to drive in Cameron Wallace, who doubled earlier in the frame. 

On the mound, the Captains pitched well with plenty of run support. Sophomore Dylan Weber (4-2) picked up the win with a quality start against the Eagles. He tossed 6.0 strong innings, striking out six with two runs allowed on six hits. Jack Anderson made his first collegiate appearance in the seventh, striking out one in a clean inning. Carter Strain struck out one in the eighth and Tucker Keener emphatically slammed the door in the ninth with a 1-2-3 inning, striking out all three batters he faced. 

After the doubleheader sweep, the Captains will now travel to Fredericksburg, Va. on Sunday to face the same Eagles squad for a third time. The game is a makeup game from the series earlier this season and will wrap up a busy five-game stretch this week for the Captains. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm.