The University of Mary Washington baseball team erupted for 17 hits to defeat 11th ranked Christopher Newport, 12-8, on Wednesday afternoon in Capital Athletic Conference action in Newport News. The Eagles improve to 19-9 on the season, and collect their second win of the year against a team ranked in the top 15 nationally.
The Captains scored first, plating single runs in the first and second inning, before the Eagles tied the matter with two in the third. Brian Burns led off with a single, stole second, and moved to third on an infield hit from from Mitch Moynihan. James Keller followed with a sacrifice fly to score Burns, and Moynihan scored on a single from James Sink.
The Eagles gained the lead in the back-and-forth affair with a run in the fourth, as Thomas Weaver and Burns hit back-to-back doubles. The Captains responded with three runs in the fifth to grab the lead, but the Eagles tied the score at 5-5 with two runs in the sixth.
With two outs, Weaver was hit by a pitch, and Burns followed with a run-producing double. Burns would score on an error. CNU came right back with a run in their half of the sixth to regain the lead at 6-5.
Ruiz led off the eighth with a double, and advanced to third on a Weaver single. Burns singled to plate Ruiz, and Keller followed with a three-run homer to center to put the Eagles back on top, 9-6. Once again the Captains came back, scoring two runs in the eighth to narrow the margin to 9-8.
The Eagles finished with three runs in the ninth, as Sink singled, stole second, and scored on a passed ball. Weaver followed with a two-run homer to put the Eagles up, 12-8, and Ryan Van Assche struck out a pair in the ninth to finish the game.
Burns had five hits for the Eagles, including a school-record tying three doubles, driving in three and scoring three. Weaver singled, doubled, and homered, and drove in four with a single and home run.
Nick McIntyre gained the win in relief, scattering six hits in three innings, with no walks and one strikeout.
The Eagles will return to action on Saturday when they visit Salisbury University for a CAC doubleheader.