NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Christopher Newport sophomore starter Jay Cassady put on a historical showcase against Susquehanna on Friday afternoon, helping lead Christopher Newport to a 2-0 win in a pitchers' duel at Captains Park. The Burke, Va. native struck out a Captains Park record 15 batters over seven innings of shutout ball, ranking the third most strikeouts in a game in program history. 

Christopher Newport improved to 1-3 on the season while Susquehanna dropped their season opener to fall to 0-1. 

Cassady paired with veteran reliever Connor Pennell for 17 total strikeouts as a team, tying for the fourth most single game effort in program history. Cassady (1-0) earned the win while Pennell snagged his first career save with two clean innings out of the pen to wrap up the 2-0 victory. 

The two-way player also reached base three times via the walk to extend his team-high 24-game reached base streak. It was his performance on the rubber, though, that made history for the Captains as he raced out to a hot start with six strikeouts through the first six outs. He added two more in each the third and fourth innings to match his previous career-high with 10 strikeouts through four innings pitched. In the fifth inning, Susquehanna ran into the second out when Alec Reilly delivered a perfectly-placed laser from left field to the bag at third to help his starter through a small jam. From there, Cassady heated up even more. 

The sophomore southpaw retired the last eight batters he faced with five more strikeouts. For the game, Cassady finished with 7.0 IP, allowing no runs on six hits and no walks. His 15 strikeouts are the most in a game by a Captain since Austin Chrismon set the program record with 18 punchouts at Greensboro on February 24, 2013. 

Offensively, the Captains put runners on in all eight innings but did not cross the plate until the bottom of the seventh. With Cassady nearing the end of his run on the mound, the Captains backed him up with a single run after the seventh inning stretch and another insurance tally in the bottom of the eighth. 

In the seventh, CNU put together a two-out rally started by a rip into left field by Kyle Schofield. Alec Reilly then turned on one into right field to put two on with two outs for Brayden Hodges. After working the count to 2 and 2 and fouling off a tough pitch, Hodges delivered a hard hit single into the hole on the left side to plate the game's first run. 

Rookie Justin Liakos got the ball rolling in the eighth with an exquisite bunt down the third base line, beating the throw for his second career base hit. He then promptly stole second for his first career steal and advanced to third on a groundball to the right side. Scott Crosson, the team's leading hitter in the early stages of the season, then singled him home with a base hit into left field. 

Seven different Captains logged hits in the game and all nine in the starting lineup reached base at least twice. Jonathan Fisher picked upa  pair of walks while Drew Caroline and Crosson each singled and walked in the game. 

With the 1-0 lead in hand, Pennell stepped in for the Captains and retired the side in order in the eighth before working around a single baserunner in the ninth. He earned his first career save with two strikeouts and no hits given up over two scoreless frames. 

CNU and Susquehanna will return to action on Saturday morning as the Captains host the River Hawks at 11:00 a.m. at Captains Park. It wll be the first of two games played by CNU on Saturday as they will also welcome No. 19 N.C. Wesleyan College for a 2:00 p.m. game in the afternoon.