NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The nationally-ranked Christopher Newport baseball team earned a doubleheader sweep against Southern Virginia (0-2) on Saturday afternoon courtesy of an offensive explosion in game one, 18-3, and a come-from-behind effort in game two, 9-5. CNU improved to 3-0 with the performance coming on a blustery, chilly day at Captains Park. 

The offense was led by the top three hitters in the lineup as each collected four hits in the two-game set. Ayden Stuffel was 4-for-7 with 6 runs scored and an RBI while setting the table for the Captains and hitting in the two hole, sophomore shortstop Josh Reinhold finished 4-for-9 with 4 RBI and 3 runs scored. Hitting third, senior designated hitter Zach Dzarnowski was 4-for-7 with 5 RBI and 3 runs scored. 

Reinhold reached base in both games, extending his NCAA Division III record of consecutive games reaching base to start a collegiate career. He wasted no time, reaching in each of his first plate appearances as the second-year star has now reached base safely in all 45 games he has played at Christopher Newport. 

While the top of the order led the offense, the pitching staff had another outstanding day on the hill for the Captains. In both games, CNU pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts including eight in 4.0 innings pitched for sophomore right-hander Brandon Cassedy (1-0). Cassedy earned the win in game one after four scoreless frames in a 7-inning contest. 

With Cassedy twirling a gem on the mound, keeping the Knights off the scoreboard, the Captains offense exploded from the very first at-bat. CNU scored five runs in the first, six more in the second inning, and raced out to a 15-0 lead with four runs in the bottom of the third. 

Stuffel started the game with a walk and Reinhold followed with a triple to the gap in right center to plate the games first run. After he scored on a wild pitch, the Captains got two more on via the walk when Scott Crosson and Doc Daniels each showed off their good eye at the plate. That would bring up Jake Benedict, the center fielder, for the Captains, for a big blow to right center. The sophomore lofted an 0-1 pitch high into the air, destined for extra bases, and then the ball caromed off the top of the wall beyond the fenceline for a three-run home run. It was just his second career home run and gave the Captains a 5-0 lead. 

The second inning started similarly, with Stuffel walking to set the table. He came around to score on an RBI groundout by Dzarnowski two batters later, but patience at the plate again led to a bigger inning for CNU. After the bases were cleared on the groundball out, Lincoln Lubsen reached on a hit-by-pitch, Crosson earned a four-pitch walk, and Doc Daniels reached on an error. After Benedict walked to load the bases, Southern Virginia called on a reliever to face Eric Wilson. The sophomore first baseman was unfazed by the switch and obliterated an 0-2 pitch over the left field wall for a no-doubt grand slam to break the game wide open. The mammoth shot was the first home run of Wilson's career. 

In the bottom of the third, Stuffel led off with a double and scored on an RBI single by Dzarnowski. CNU added another unearned run after a throwing error by the catcher and Crosson picked up his first hit with a single into left field. Daniels singled through the left side two pitches later and Dzarnowski trotted home for another run. Wilson added his fifth RBI of the day with a groundout and the Captains took a 15-0 lead. 

Cassedy cruised through four inings, including three K's in his final frame. He finished with the win before handing the ball off to rookie Michael Mortensen in the top of the fifth. The Knights struck for one against Mortensen with an RBI groundout by Stockton Hall, but the freshman settled in and pitched a perfect sixth inning to preserve the big lead for CNU. 

The Captains tacked on three more in the sixth inning when rookie Gus Croll plated Reinhold with an infield single and Stone Lasseigne snuck a rocket inside the bag at third for a two-run double. 

Southern Virginia scored twice against Jackson Gimbel in the top of the seventh for the final tally of 18-3 in game one. Eleven different players registered at least one hit for the Captains. 

In game two, the tenor would shift dramatically as the Knights took a 5-2 lead after four frames. The Captains would be forced to rally for three runs to tie in the bottom of the fifth before finishing off the sweep with one in the seventh and three more in the eighth innings. 

Jack Braley started for the Captains and looked solid for the first three-plus innings on the mound. He struck out the first batter he faced and stranded four runners in the first three innings. In the fourth, Braley was forced to deal with some defensive miscues as Christopher Newport had three errors in the inning leading to five runs for the visitors. After finishing out the inning, he gave way to Ryan Morrison in the fifth, setting up a fantastic relief appearance for the sophomore lefty. 

Morrison came on strong in the fifth, retiring the side in order, and repeated the task in the sixth and seventh, facing the minimum over 3.0 innings pitched. He struck out the side in the seventh and was rewarded by the offense in the bottom half as Christopher Newport took the lead on a RBI single up the middle by Dzarnowski. 

The sophomore reliever came back out to start the eighth and finally ran into a little trouble ith back-to-back one-out walks. Holding just a one-run lead, the Captains turned to Christian Williams out of the pen to escape the jam. For the second time in as many days, Williams stranded multiple baserunners in a tight game when he earned a huge strikeout and then got picked up by a huge defensive play from Scott Crosson. On a single into right field, Southern Virginia tried to send a runner home from second, but Crosson charged the play and delivered a laser to the plate where rookie catcher Cameron Slough waited for the runner to make the tag and end the inning and the threat. 

In the bottom of the eighth, CNU earned some insurance when Justin liakos doubled into left field with one out. Stuffel capped his impressive day with an RBI double of his own and then raced home when Dzarnowski ripped a line drive up the middle. The final run would come home on a wild pitch later in the inning, giving the Captains a 9-5 lead. 

Closing out the game on the mound, senior right-hander Kyle Lewis took the ball and promptly struck out the side while facing just four batters to finish out the win. Lewis has now faced seven batters, striking out five, in 2.0 innings of work this season. 

Morrison picked up the game two victory for his first career collegiate win. The offense saw four players register multi-hit performances including a pair of three-hit days from Stuffel and Dzarnowski. In total, the Captains smacked ten extra-base hits on the day with two homers, one triple, and seven doubles. 

Christopher Newport will close out the four-game set this weekend with a 2:00 p.m. first pitch against Eastern Mennonite University on Sunday afternoon.