BRIDGEWATER, Va. -- Junior Sam Benedict matched his career high with six RBI on Wednesday afternoon as the third baseman headlined a dominant offensive performance overall for the nationally-ranked Christopher Newport baseball team. Benedict was 4-for-5 as the Captains (5-3) erupted for 12 runs on 19 hits including six for extra bases at Bridgewater College (4-2) to hold off the home team in a 12-10 win. 

CNU scored five runs in the first three innings, added four in the middle three frames, and tacked on three pivotal insurance runs in the final third of the game as the Captains offense continuously threatened the Bridgewater defense. Each run proved imperative as the host Eagles scored twice in the bottom of the ninth to pull within striking distance before Christopher Newport closed out the win. 

All of the bats were working for the Captains on Wednesday as seven players finished with multi-hit performances in the game. In addition to Benedict's team-leading four-hit performance, his twin brother Jake Benedict and sophomore first baseman Aaron Maxie added three-hit showings. Ayden Stuffel, Cameron Slough, Will Pellegrino, and Scott Crosson each recorded a pair of hits in the game including a pair of doubles and triples between them. 

The offense got started in the top of the first when Jake Benedict singled over the first baseman's head and moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Sam Benedict. Josh Reinhold moved him over to third and then the run would come in on a single to center field by Maxie. 

Bridgewater responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning, taking advantage of a pair of CNU errors and blitzing ahead, 4-1, but the lead was short-lived. Christopher Newport answered right back to tie the game at four runs apiece with a three-run second inning that started with Stuffel sneaking a hot shot inside the bag at first base for a double. After Pellegrino reached on a hit by pitch, the Captains sent Jake Benedict back to the plate with two on and two outs. The junior outfielder singled into left to bring up his brother and, after working into a hitters count at 2-0, Sam Benedict blazed a double into the left field corner to plate two more. 

After Ryan Morirson worked through a clean second inning with a pair of strikeouts, the Captains re-took a one-run lead with in the top of the third. Doc Daniels reached with a one-out double and scored two batters later when Cameron Slough singled him in. 

Expanding the lead one inning later, the Captains scored three runs on four hits to take an 8-4 lead. Crosson kicked things off by doubling down the line on the first pitch he saw to lead off the inning. The Benedict brothers smacked back-to-back singles and moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Reinhold. Maxie then drove in two more with a single into left field to put the Captains ahead by four. 

Bridgewater scored two runs to one for CNU through the next inning and a half as Sam Benedict picked up another RBI but the Eagles closed the gap to 9-6 heading into the sixth inning. In the bottom of the sixth, Bridgewater scored twice more, pulling within one, 9-8, but Marcus Dux finished out the inning with the lead. 

CNU added one run in the top of the seventh and tacked on two, including what proved to be the game-winning run, in the eighth. Crosson led off the seventh with a triple and trotted home two batters later when Benedict picked up his fifth RBI of the game with a single into right field. In the eighth, Pellegrino added a triple of his own and scored on a fly ball that would have ended the inning, but an error allowed the run to score. One more insurance run would come in when Benedict recorded his sixth RBI to plate Crosson with a single. 

His 6-RBI performance is the first for a Captain since Lincoln Lubsen had 6 RBI against Denison last February. His first career 6-RBI game came against Penn State Harrisburg on March 11, 2023. 

Six different pitchers took the mound for Christopher Newport on Wednesday with Ryan Morrison earning the win in three innings pitched to start the game. Charlie Gunn pitched the fourth and Dux struck out one in two innings of work. Nate Toomey faced the minimum in the seventh, striking out one, and Eli Novario also faced just three batters in the eighth. Rounding out the pitching effort was Colin D'Arcy, who picked up three strikeouts in finishing out the game in the ninth. 

CNU will return to action on Saturday, March 1 against Manchester University at the Cal Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, S.C. It is the first of three games being played over Spring Break in Myrtle Beach as Christopher Newport also takes on Saint Elizabeth (March 2) and Neumann (March 3).