Captains sail away; Bishops advance

DANVILLE, Va. - The Christopher Newport Captains were eliminated from the USA South Conference Tournament Saturday, as they fell to N.C. Wesleyan College by a 1-0 score at Dan Daniel Park.

The contest was a pitcher's duel, as the Bishops scored the only run of the contest in the second. Josh Lipford hit a single into right field that scored Matt Smith who reached earlier on a walk.

In the bottom of the sixth inning on the short end of a one run deficit, Christopher Newport was threatening to score with runners on second and third, when Bishops shortstop Nathan West leapt into the air snagging a hard shot from Captains Ricky Medina, saving at least one run. In the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, CNU left a runner on third base and combined for six runners left stranded in the three frames.

Wesleyan hurler Kyle Robertson was the game's winning pitcher, going 81/3 innings, while allowing zero runs. He improved to 2-2 with the win and Scott Faison picked up his third save of the season in relief. Offensively, Josh Lipford and Brian Massey each had two hits.

For CNU, Garrett Robinson went 2-for-4. Kenny Moreland struck out four and dropped to 6-2 with the complete game loss.

N.C. Wesleyan advances to the 7:45 p.m. game to play Greensboro College in the semifinals of the loser's bracket. (Box)