Fifth-ranked Christopher Newport evened the weekend USA South series with LaGrange with a 10-4 win over the Panthers on Saturday in Williamson Stadium at Cleaveland Field.
The Panthers (8-9, 7-7 USA South) set a season-high with 13 hits. Cody Muren and Josh Shiver each had three hits, while Brent Kinsey added two more. Muren and Shiver each had a double included in their hits.
Robby Williams (0-2) started on the mound for the Panthers. He gave up five earned runs in 4-1/3 innings. Williams was followed by Derek O'Kelley, Josh Bricker and Matt Steele.
Christopher Newport (16-3-1, 12-2 USA South) matched the Panthers with 13 hits. The Captains built an 8-0 lead by the sixth inning.
The Panthers got a run in their half of the sixth inning. They loaded the bases on base hits by Shiver, Muren and Anthony Iannetta. Kyle Nerbonne's single scored Shiver.
In the ninth, the Panthers scored their final three runs. Shiver had an RBI double in the inning, while Muren added a run-scoring single. Shiver came home on a wild pitch for the final run of the inning.
The two teams close out the three-game series Sunday at 2 p.m.
