SALEM, Va. -- Getting contributions up and down the entire lineup, the 18th-ranked Christopher Newport baseball team ended a four-game skid with a complete effort on Thursday afternoon, downing Roanoke College (8-7-1) by an 8-1 final score. Junior starter Cooper Newell threw eight strong innings, scattering six hits and allowing just a single run to the Maroons while the offense collected 11 hits from eight different players. 

The Captains improved to 10-8 overall and rebounded from a tough 12-11 setback to the Maroons a week earlier to close the home-and-home series against Roanoke College. 

On top of Newell's impressive start, the Captains got contributions from all nine in the starting lineup, including the return of Sam Benedict after missing the last five games to an injury. Benedict was 1-for-3 with 3 RBI, 2 runs scored, and a pair of walks. He also had five assists at third base to help a strong overall defensive performance. 

Aaron Maxie was a team-best 3-for-5 at the dish with an RBI, run scored, and one double while Ayden Stuffel added a multi-hit showing by going 2-for-3 with a double, run scored, and a walk. Six different players finished the game with a run batted in, including Justin Liakos, Doc Daniels, Cameron Slough, and Eric Wilson. 

Roanoke took a 1-0 lead when a two-out balk by Newell allowed the runner at third base to score. It proved to be the lone mis-step by the CNU newcomer, who cruised through his finest start as a Captain. After that, Newell only got stronger as the game went on -- starting in the fourth, he retired eight straight batters. When the run ended with a lead-off walk in the seventh, Newell quickly induced a double-play on the first baserunner he allowed since the fourth inning to erase the threat. He added another groundball double play up the middle in the eighth when John Blanco flipped to Liakos who relayed over to first to end his final frame of the day. 

Newell struck out six batters in the longest outing of his CNU career while logging his second straight quality start. After Chase Hustead closed out the ninth unscathed, Newell improved to 2-1 on the season for CNU. 

The offense came in bunches with runs in five of the last six innings of play. In the top of the fourth, Daniels led off with a walk and moved up to second on a single by Maxie. Stuffel laid down a picture-perfect bunt to load the bases. Two batter laster, Benedict put the ball on the ground to the right side and drove in the game-tying run for Christopher Newport. 

CNU took the lead with three runs on four hits in the top of the sixth. Maxie turned on the first pitch of his at-bat and split the outfielders in right center. The very next pitch, Stuffel also doubled with a flare to center that kicked away from the diving shortstop trying to make a play. It was on the first pitch of Benedict's at-bat that two runs came in to score as the Captains attacked the Roanoke pitching staff early. His single plated both Maxie and Stuffel and gave CNU the lead; he then stole second on the first pitch of Wilson's AB, putting another runner in scoring position. Wilson capitalized, blistering a single into center field that chased in Benedict for another run. 

In the seventh, another Doc Daniels walk set up another run-scoring inning for the Captains as Maxie and Stuffel grounded out to the right side to move him up to third. Cameron Slough then singled into left field to allow Daniels to trot in for the score. 

The runs kept coming with two more in the eighth when Jake Benedict reached with a one-out single. Liakos followed with another single and the duo stole a base with Daniels at the dish. A hard-hit line drive to right field allowed Benedict to score on a sacrifice fly and Maxie completed his impressive day with another RBI single. Finally, the Captains scored the eighth run without needing a hit in the top of the ninth. Sam Benedict and pinch hitter Josh Reinhold led off with walks and moved up on a two-out walk by Jake Benedict to load the bases. Liakos flew out to deep center field for another sacrifice fly, capping the eight-run outburst for the CNU offense. 

Christopher Newport will look to stay on the winning side this weekend when they take on Oswego State (4-3) at 1:00 p.m.