HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. -- Senior outfielder A.J. Nicely delivered the second five-hit performance of his career, leading the Captains offense past Hampden-Sydney College (6-2) on Tuesday afternoon, 5-2. The Captains also were led by sophomore Thomas Packert (2-0), who put together a sterling effort in his first career start to lead the way on the mound and pick up the win, improving CNU to 7-6 on the season. 

Packert opened his collegiate career in 2017 with four sensational relief appearances, tossing 7.1 innings of no-hit relief with 12 strikeouts. Head coach John Harvell gave him the nod on Tuesday for his first career start and Packert continued to roll, tossing two more no-hit innings before finally allowing a single in the third. His 9.1 no-hit innings included a run of 24 straight batters retired prior to the first batter of the third inning on Tuesday. 

The Captains' right-handed starter cruised through the first four innings, picking up four strikeouts and retiring the side in order in three of the four. The only baserunners he allowed were on a pair of walks and a base-hit bunt in the third inning, but Packert worked out of the jam with a line drive out and a pair of strikeouts to strand three runners.

Nicely and the rest of the CNU offense staked the starter to a four-run lead after a big inning in the top of the third. With two outs and one runner on, senior Keith Roberts delivered an RBI double to get the Captains on the board. Two batters later, Roberts would come home to score on a Brandon Ginch single, putting the Captains ahead, 2-0. With runners on second and third and two out, Nicely stepped to the plate and laced a shot deep to the outfield and legged out a two-run triple. 

The Tigers would cut the lead in half when Packert gave up two runs in the bottom of the fifth, on RBI singles by Jayson Maitland and Brian Goodwyn. The Captains' starter managed to strand three on the bases again, however, by inducing an inning-ending ground ball to limit the damage. He would then stay in through the sixth, throwing another perfect frame, and started the seventh, where he picked up his seventh strikeout of the game. 

Two runners reached in the bottom of the 7th before Caleb Myers came on in relief and quickly evaded the threat with a double play. The senior would then breeze through the 8th with a strikeout and just one hit allowed. 

The CNU offense tacked on an insurance run in the top of the 8th, when Austin Henry reached via hit-by-pitch for the second time in the game. He advanced to second on an error by the first baseman and moved up to third on a wild pitch. Joseph Cutchins would pick up the RBI with a single, putting the Captains on top, 5-2, with just two innings remaining. 

After Myers, CNU called on junior closer Joe Burris to finish out the win in the ninth inning. He struck out the first batter he faced, picked up a fly out to right field, and then, after a walk, got the final out with a fly ball to center field. Burris earned his second save of the season after working his seventh straight scoreless appearance. He has now struck out 16 batters in 12.2 innings of work with a 0.71 ERA. 

Offensively, Nicely finished 5-for-5 to lead the way, pairing four singles with his two-run triple. It is the second time in his career her has gone 5-for-5 after doing so once as a freshman. Cutchins was 2-for-5 to round out the multi-hit performances for CNU, as the Captains outhit the Tigers, 13-5. 

Christopher Newport will return home to face Eastern Mennonite University on Wednesday afternoon at Captains Park. First pitch against the Royals is scheduled for 2:00 pm.