LYNCHBURG, Va. -- Trailing the defending national champions by a run with just three outs left to play, the tenth-ranked Christopher Newport baseball team put on an electric ninth-inning showcase to rally past the University of Lynchburg on the road Tuesday afternoon, 13-5. The Captains scored ten runs in the final frame to capture a season sweep against the non-conference foe while improving to 24-8 overall. 

In the first inning, the teams traded two-run home runs against the starting pitchers before Lynchburg took a 4-2 lead with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Captains offense was busy, but stranded 11 runners over the first eight innings as they struggled to get across the plate. That is, until the ninth when 13 batters stepped to the plate and CNU scored 10 runs on six hits to race past the Hornets (25-15). 

The inning started with Zach Dzarnowski ripping the first pitch he saw through the left side for a base-hit. Representing the game-tying run with a 4-3 deficit, head coach John Harvell replaced Dzarnowski with Justin Liakos on the basepaths. The next two batters walked on nine pitches as Lincoln Lubsen and Doc Daniels loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the ninth. 

Now needing just a base hit to potentially take the lead, Harvell again went to the bench and called on rookie infielder Aaron Maxie for a pinch hit appearance. After falling behind in the count, 0-2, the first-year showed off a terrific eye at the plate, watching three straight breaking balls dive out of the zone. With a full count, the Hornets challenged Maxie inside but he fought off the pitch foul and one pitch later, patiently took ball four with the game-tying RBI free pass. 

After a strikeout, another freshman stepped in with the bases still full of Captains and only one out as Gus Croll strolled to the dish. Croll drove an 0-1 count deep enough to center field that Lubsen was able to sprint home from third base on the sacrifice fly as Christopher Newport took a 5-4 lead. Still threatening, the Hornets went to another reliever but Sam Benedict used his blazing speed to beat out a slow roller between the mound and first base, plating another run with an infield single. The line kept moving as Scott Crosson added another infield single, beating the throw by half a step after the Lynchburg second baseman saved a run with an impressive diving stop in the hole. 

Now looking to build on the momentum, the Captains got a single through the left side by Josh Reinhold, scoring another run, and a walk by Liakos to bring Lubsen back to the plate. The junior catcher was already having an incredible day after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning and a leadoff double in the third, not to mention his scoring the go-ahead run in the ninth. Putting the finishing touch on an outstanding individual performance, Lubsen blistered a double to the gap to clear the bases and all but put the game out of reach with an 11-4 lead. 

Not to be outdone, junior Doc Daniels delivered the final nail when he demolished a 3-1 offering to left center field for a two-run home run. It was Daniels' fifth round-tripper of the season and finished out a day that saw him reach base in four of his six plate appearances. 

Six Captains finished with multi-hit performances as CNU scored 13 runs on 15 total hits in the game. Lubsen highlighted the effort with his team-leading seventh home run and five RBI, running his total to 44 for the season. He had three hits, all for extra bases, and improved his slugging percentage to .611 on the season. Crosson also reached in four of his six plate appearances with three hits and a walk while Reinhold, Dzarnowski, and Benedict each recorded two hits apiece. Eric Wilson tacked on a double to close out the offensive performance for CNU. 

On the mound, Jack Braley was issued a no decision after pitching into the fourth inning for the Captains as the starter. He gave way to Danny Checkosky, who closed out the fourth and pitched through a clean fifth inning with one hit and one strikeout. Daniel Elliott then was dominant in two frames of relief, striking out three while facing just one more than the minimum, before handing the ball off to CNU closer Kyle Lewis in the eighth, trailing 4-3. 

Lewis worked quickly through the eighth inning, earning one strikeout and working around a two-out walk. In the ninth, Lynchburg would not go quietly with a leadoff single before Lewis snagged his second punchout. After a double and a walk, a sacrifice fly brought in a run against Lewis, but with two outs, the veteran right-hander slammed the door with his third strikeout to end the game. Lewis improved to 3-0 on the season with the win. 

The 10-run ninth inning marked the second time this season that CNU scored double-digits in an inning against the Hornets after recording 11 runs in the first inning of the game at Captains Park in early April. Adding to his impressive streak, Reinhold reached base multiple times, making its 74 consecutive games to start his career. Dzarnowski also continued his on-base streak, which has now reached 28 straight games this season. On the mound, Braley added another game to his impressive streak of 19 straight starts without suffering a loss, extending the length of his career including a career-high nine starts this season. He also recorded his 100th career strikeout in the game. 

Christopher Newport will return to action on Wednesday, May 1 as they travel to another Old Dominion Athletic Conference opponent in Randolph-Macon. First pitch against the Yellow Jackets is set for 3:00 pm.