NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Patience at the plate and a savvy coaching decision late in the game proved to be the difference for the 20th-ranked Christopher Newport baseball team on Sunday afternoon as the Captains squeaked out an 8-7 win over Eastern Mennonite to close the opening weekend with a perfect 4-0 record. CNU recorded 13 walks, including five with the bases loaded, and head coach John Harvell sent Josh Reinhold home all the way from first for the would-be game-winning run with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to earn a come-from-behind win at Captains Park on a frigid Sunday afternoon. 

The matchup teetered back and forth with Eastern Mennonite (0-1) opening their season by taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. CNU then tied things up in the bottom of the fourth but the Royals answered right back to take a 2-1 lead in the fifth. After CNU surged ahead, 3-2, EMU again rebounded with three more to re-take the lead in the top of the sixth, 5-3. The home team tacked on four runs in the sixth without recording a hit to move back in front, 7-5, but would need an ever important insurance run in the bottom of the eighth as the Royals scored one in each of the final two frames. 

Closing the door on the save was fifth-year senior Jack Rosenberg, who picked up his first save in 1,004 days. The veteran lefty sat out all of 2023 and most of 2022 with an injury and last recorded a save for the Captains on May 21, 2014 before coming on with a two-run lead in the top of the ninth inning. Rosenberg looked dominant at first, striking out the first two batters he faced, but allowed the next four batters to reach via three walks and a hit-by-pitch, closing the gap to just a single run. Showing off his fortitude, the southpaw settled in against Logan Mason for the final out of the game, leaving the bases loaded with his third strikeout and the save. 

The finish earned rookie Connor Godshalk (1-0) his first career win after two innings of strong relief in the sixth and seventh innings when CNU took the lead. Godshalk allowed just one hit and struck out one in his collegiate debut. 

CNU managed just five hits in the game, but the biggest came off the bat of junior transfer Lincoln Lubsen with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning. After Reinhold reached base with a single into left field, Lubsen slammed a double into the left field corner. The sophomore shortstop sprinted around the basepaths and made the turn at third as the throw came into the relay man in short left field. The throw came to the plate to set up a bang-bang play, but the catcher couldn't corral the bounce and Reinhold slid in safely. 

At the time, the run gave CNU an 8-6 lead and was the only RBI that came from a batted ball in the game. The Captains scored the first run on a balk after Zach Dzarnowski doubled and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Then, in the fifth inning, Doc Daniels and Aaron Maxie walked and moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Jake Benedict. Justin Liakos then walked to load the bases and the Captains' patience at the plate paid off. Two batters later, Reinhold walked in a run and Dzarnowski added an RBI free pass of his own. In the sixth, CNU scored four more runs without a base hit when Stuffel, Reinhold, and Lubsen all walked in a run and Dzarnowski earned an RBI HBP. 

The CNU pitching staff combined for 12 strikeouts or more for the fourth straight game to start the season. Marcus Dux made the start, striking out five over 4.1 innings pitched; Jack Anderson came on and struck out one in 0.2 innings pitched. Then Godshalk, with one K in 2.0 IP, followed by Danny Checkosky with two punchouts in 1.0 inning of work. Finally, Rosenberg striking out the side brought the total to 12 for the game. 

Christopher Newport will close out a five-game home stand to start the season with a 2:00 p.m. first pitch against Bridgewater College on Tuesday afternoon.