DANVILLE, Va. -- After over a month on the calendar and 26 straight wins, the fifth-ranked Christopher Newport University Captains (28-2, 9-1) suffered another loss, just their second of the season. CNU traveled to Averett University (18-14, 5-5) and handed the Captains their first loss, 14-1, since the second game of the season, way back on February 15 on the road against Mary Washington. CNU bounced back in the second game of the doubleheader and won a 4-1 decision to improve to 28-2 overall.

The two games, set to be played on Saturday and Sunday, were moved up to a morning doubleheader due to impending weather concerns. First pitch of the first game went off at 11:00 am, and before 12:30, the Captains had suffered the loss in the fastest game of the season for CNU. The loss snapped a 26-game winning streak, the longest in school history.

Averett starter Cody Moore was light's out, allowing just two hits and three walks in eight shutout innings for the Cougars. The lone run scored by CNU was an unearned tally, coming as Chris McDougal crossed the plate on a failed pick-off attempt that was thrown away.

CNU starter Sean Chitsaz matched Moore for the first five innings, giving up just three hits in the first five, but Averett took the lead on the senior in the sixth. Averett scored three on three hits and an error to take a 4-1 lead. After Chitsaz exited, the Cougars jumped on CNU reliever Richard Lindsay, scoring six earned runs on Lindsay in just 1/3 of an inning. Senior Kyle Harsanyi came on to stop the bleeding in the seventh, but gave up four in the bottom of the eighth for the final, 14-1. In all, the Captains pitching staff gave up 14 runs, 13 of them earned, on 15 hits including 12 singles.

Connor Madden managed the only hits for CNU, going 2-for-2 in the first game.

The Captains got back on track in the second game of the doubleheader, taking a 4-1 win over the Cougars. Sophomore Greg Goldsmith threw a quality start with seven shutout innings and just four hits allowed.

In the top of the second, Matt Shoemaker walked and stole second, setting up an RBI-single by Travis Medina. Medina came around to score as Madden stayed hot, bringing around the second run of the inning with a single to center.

CNU added to the 2-0 lead in the top of the eighth, when Steven Lindemuth scored Ben Lenda on a single to center field. Freshman Billy Steel rounded out the scoring for the Captains when he plated Madden in the top of the ninth.

Matt Verdillo struck out the side in the eighth and then the first two batters in the ninth, but got into trouble after a double and a pair of singles cut the lead to 4-1. Sophomore closer Ryan Fleischmann came on to shut the door for his fifth save, getting a groundout to end it with runners at the corners.

CNU improved to 9-1 in the USA South with just one weekend of league play remaining next week against #1 Shenandoah. The Captains are off until then, with game time set for 1:00 pm on Saturday, April 2 against the Hornets.