Bridgewater, Va. – Junior Collin Reid hit a big blast late in game on Feb. 23 to help propel the Eagles to an 8-5 road win at Christopher Newport.  

Both teams came into the contest off of a victory and looking to gain some momentum headed into the weekend.  

It would not take long for the Eagles offense to get in on the action as junior Jeff Snider hit a towering home run in the first inning. Both senior Brett Tharp and senior Jarret Bieseker scored on the homer to take a commanding 3-0 lead.  

Bridgewater scored another run to make it a 4-0 game in the third inning, but CNU responded with two runs of their own in the fifth after redshirt senior Conner Clark knocked a ball over the right field fence. 

Manager for the Eagles, Ben Spotts, could not have asked for much more on the road from sophomore starting pitcher James Swart. The second year player threw four and a third innings giving up just two earned runs on three hits. He also recorded a strikeout.  

The two squads would trade runs for a few innings until the ball game was notched up at five in the ninth. 

CNU manager John Harvell sent senior relief pitcher Scott Reid out to the mound to try and secure the Captains a tie game in the bottom of the ninth, but pinch hitter Reid had different plans for Bridgewater.  

The junior sent a home run over the left center field fence to give the Eagles an 8-5 lead in the final frame.  

 “It was about who was going to have the toughness to go forward and win a ball game,” said starting pitcher James Swart.  

Reid undoubtedly delivered the toughness for the Eagles late en route to an 8-5 win. 

Tharp added yet another save for the Eagles following Reid’s game winning home run. He has already recorded four saves early in the 2022 season and certainly looks to add more as the season progresses. Additionally, Tharp has also racked up ten strikeouts out of the bullpen.