NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The 10th-ranked Salisbury University baseball team stayed red-hot by sweeping a doubleheader against Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference (C2C) rival Christopher Newport, besting the Captains 4-1 and 7-2 to extend its winning streak to 12 games on Saturday afternoon at Captains Park.
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 1
- The Captains had a chance to jump in front in the third inning, loading the bases with two out on back-to-back singles and a walk, but Salisbury starter Jimmy Adkins went after Daniel Elliott and struck him out swinging to end the threat.
- The Sea Gulls broke the ice offensively in the fourth. Cameron Hyder led off with a double and beat a throw to third on a Patrick Campbell sac bunt, putting men on the corners. Kavi Caster came up next and hit into an RBI fielder's choice, scoring Hyder to put SU up 1-0.
- Salisbury gave Adkins more breathing room with a run each in the sixth, seventh and eighth. In the sixth, Hyder worked a one-out walk and stole second base. Campbell then hit a grounder to second that Elliott booted, allowing Hyder to come home and make it 2-0.
- In the seventh, Ben Anderson lashed a two-out double to right center, and Joey Bowers came in to pinch-run. Luke Weddell followed by rolling an RBI single up the middle to push the lead to 3-0.
- Hyder sparked yet another rally in the eighth with a leadoff single. After a Campbell sac bunt and an intentional walk to Caster, the runners executed a double steal, and Hyder scampered home on a throw that sailed into left, making it 4-0.
- CNU finally broke up Adkins' shutout in the ninth. Elliott punched a leadoff single, advanced to third on an Alec Reilly base knock and scored on a wild pitch, getting the Captains on the board at 4-1.
- Adkins didn't let it go any further, though, going the distance for the fourth time in his career to seal the deal.
SALISBURY GAME NOTES
- Cameron Hyder finished 2-for-3 from the leadoff slot with a double, three runs scored and two stolen bases. Hyder extended his hitting streak to 14 games with the big day.
- Luke Weddell provided some pop from the nine-hole, going 2-for-3 with an RBI.
- Kavi Caster finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and three stolen bases.
- Sky Rahill saw his 19-game hitting streak come to an end after going 0-for-4.
- Jimmy Adkins (3-1) finished what he started, surrendering one run on six hits in a full nine innings of work. He walked one and struck out nine on 132 pitches and at one point retired 10 batters in a row in the third through sixth frames.
- The complete game is the second for a Sea Gull starter this season after Xavier Marmol went the distance on March 27 against Hood. Adkins now has four complete games in his collegiate career after pitching his first since April 22, 2019.
CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT GAME NOTES
- Daniel Elliott finished 1-for-4 with the Captains' only run scored in the game.
- Alec Reilly doubled for CNU's only extra-base hit, finishing 2-for-4. Connor Clark also went 2-for-4.
- Jay Cassady (6-2) ended up on the losing side of the decision after giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits in eight innings. Cassady walked two and punched out 11 on 107 pitches.
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 2
- Patrick Campbell and Kavi Caster drew back-to-back one-out walks in the top of the first, and two batters later Sky Rahill poked a single into left to score Campbell and put the Sea Gulls on top 1-0.
- Campbell and Caster jumpstarted another rally in the third after a plunking and a single, respectively. Stephen Rice laid down a sac bunt that the pitcher Dylan Weber couldn't handle, loading the bases with no out. Weber almost got out of it, getting the next two batters on a strikeout and infield fly, but Scott Cameron singled into left to plate both Campbell and Caster, making it 3-0.
- Justin Bowers broke up the shutout with a solo home run in the fourth to get CNU on the board. Salisbury answered immediately in the fifth as Rahill tripled and scored on a Zach Geesaman RBI single to push the lead back to 4-1.
- Bowers went deep to center for his second homer of the day in the sixth, bringing the Captains back within 4-2.
- The Sea Gulls put it away for good in the eighth. Luke Weddell worked a one-out walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Campbell dropped an RBI single into center, then Caster clubbed a two-run homer to left to make it 7-2, where it would stay until the 27th out.
SALISBURY GAME NOTES
- Kavi Caster finished off a monster week by going 2-for-3 with his seventh home run of the season, two runs scored and two RBIs. Caster socked three round-trippers and drove in 12 runs over the Sea Gulls' four games during the week.
- Patrick Campbell reached base four times, going 1-for-2 with an RBI, two walks and three runs scored. He was also hit by a pitch.
- Sky Rahill went 2-for-5 with a triple, run and RBI. Zach Geesaman also had two hits and an RBI, and Scott Cameron plated two runs.
- Cameron Hyder finished 0-for-5 to bring an end to his 14-game hitting streak.
- Jackson Balzan (7-1) won his seventh straight start with another sterling effort, allowing two runs on six hits over eight innings. Balzan walked one and struck out 10 on 111 pitches.
- Xavier Marmol needed just eight pitches to finish off a perfect ninth inning.
CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT GAME NOTES
- Justin Bowers homered twice to account for both of the Captains' runs.
- Connor Clark finished 2-for-4 with a double for CNU's only other extra-base knock.
- Dylan Weber (3-3) took the loss after surrendering three runs (one earned) on three hits and five walks in four innings.
UP NEXT
- The Sea Gulls take aim for their 13th straight win on Wednesday afternoon at Catholic.
- First pitch from Washington, D.C. is slated for 3:30 p.m.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with the New Jersey Athletic Conference for football and the Metropolitan Swimming and Diving Conference for men's and women's swimming. With over 500 student-athletes in 21 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, and dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on-and-off the field. The Sea Gulls have celebrated 22 team national championships, 24 individual national champions, 186 conference championships and 41 Academic All-Americans.
To learn more about the tradition of excellence with Sea Gull Athletics, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or on social media @SUSeaGulls.