SALISBURY, Md. -- In the opening game of the 2022 Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Baseball Championship, the No. 28 Christopher Newport Captains (25-10) outlasted #3-seed Mary Washington (17-22) in a slugfest, 13-12. The two teams combined for 11 extra-base hits including four home runs with two apiece. 

The first career home run for junior catcher Drew Caroline proved to be the difference in the back-and-forth battle that featured four lead changes. Caroline had a career-day at the plate for the Captains to lead the offense, reaching base in three of his plate appearances while going 2-for-4 with 3 runs, an RBI and a walk. 

In a pitching matchup that featured two first-team All-Conference starters, it was the bats that came to life on Friday. Mary Washington took an early lead with a second-inning grand slam off the bat of C2C Rookie of the Year Jacob Christenbury. The lead would stretch to 5-0 in the top of the third before Christopher Newport got on the board in the bottom half with a four-run frame of their own. 

Caroline opened the inning to kick off as the game's offensive catalyst with a walk. Jonathan Fisher followed with a walk and the bases were loaded on a sacrifice bunt by Conner Clark who reached on an errant throw. Scott Crosson then stepped in and doubled to the gap in right center to plate the first two CNU runs of the game. The line kept moving as Justin Bowers walked to re-load the bases and Daniel Elliott picked up an RBI with a hit-by-pitch. Michael Martorano then added a sacrifice fly on a line-out to right field as Crosson tagged up and scored from third. 

Trailing 5-4, the Captains took the lead for the first time in the bottom of the fourth. Again it was Caroline who led off the inning with an infield single. He moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Fisher and on to third on a single by Clark into right field. After Clark ripped off second base for the first of three stolen bases in the game, Caroline sprinted home on an errant throw by the catcher. Crosson popped a single into right field to put two on with two outs for Elliott. The sophomore second baseman then crushed a three-run home run to right field for his first career round-tripper. 

The go-ahead blast gave CNU an 8-5 lead after four innings of work. The CNU starter, Jay Cassady, went out to toss the fifth and picked up his last two of eight strikeouts in the game. In his first appearance in nearly a month (April 16), Cassady got through five innings of work with seven hits allowed and left the game in line for the win.

With his eight K's, Cassady moved up to ninth on the single-season strikeout list at Christopher Newport with the most punchouts in a year since Thomas Packert struck out 96 in 2018. He also held onto his single season mark for most K/9 with 13.08 in 64.0 innings pitched so far this season. 

CNU tacked one more run on in the bottom of the fifth when Clark continued his outstanding day with an RBI single to left field. After that, though, the Eagles teetered back in front with two runs in the sixth and four more in the seventh. Mary Washington led 11-9 after the seventh and picked up the first two outs in the bottom of the inning before the Captains' bats came alive again. 

With two outs, Clark, the all-time leader in hits, singled into left field. Moments later, Clark, the all-time leader in stolen bases, picked up his third swipe of the game to get into scoring position. Crosson walked to put the tying run on base for the Captains' leading run producer, Justin Bowers. The junior first baseman took advantage of the clutch opportunity, smoking a double into the left field corner to plate Clark and put the go-ahead run on second base. After Daniel Elliott was intentionally walked, Martorano delivered a key hit with a two-run single up the middle to put CNU ahead, 12-11.

Elliott gave up a lead-off double on the mound in the top of the eighth before reitring the next three with infield outs to bring CNU back to the plate. That's when Caroline stepped in with one out and delivered a solo shot over the left field wall to add what would prove to be an imperative insurance run. Mary Washington homered in the top of the ninth to close the gap to the final score, 13-12, making Caroline's blast the game-winning hit. 

The Captains' closer, Elliott, improved to 3-0 with the win after tossing three innings to end the game. 

Clark had a tremendous C2C opening game, going 3-for-5 with 3 runs, 3 stolen bases, and one RBI. Crosson was 2-for-4 with 3 runs, 2 RBI, and one walk. Martorano, Caroline and senior Kyle Schofield each added two hits in the game while Elliott led the team with 4 RBI. 

Christopher Newport will return to action on Saturday, taking on top-seeded Salisbury University at 12:00 p.m. in game three of the C2C Championship.