DEMOREST, Ga. — California Lutheran University got back in the win column as the Kingsmen defeated Christopher Newport 7-2 on Saturday morning. 
 
The Purple and Gold opened the season 5-0 before suffering their first loss of the season yesterday. The Kingsmen bounced back and knocked off the captains to move to 6-1. 

Chris Torres got the start and pitched 5.0 innings to grab his first win of the season. He struck out three batters, while giving up six hits and a walk, as he got six ground outs and one flyout. 

Zach Bullard led the team with two RBI and Zach Lafata and Brendan Durfee each added one more. Bullard, Gordon Richardson and Max Heverly each had two hits. Austin Carrillo and Bullard both recorded a double. 

Zach Creighton, Will Watson, Clay Rickerman and Matt Campo all saw action as relief pitchers. Creighton pitched the sixth and struck out two while Watson pitched a clean seventh with one strikeout and two groundouts. Rickerman had some trouble in the eight and recovered after giving up three hits and two earned runs. Campo closed out the game with two strikeouts and the Captains dropped to 0-2 on the season. 

The Kingsmen were all over the Captain pitching staff from the beginning, but could not convert and left five runners on base through three innings. 

Cal Lutheran finally broke through in the fourth as Richardson singled to left field. After Durfee walked, the duo advanced a base on a wild pitch. 

Kyle Reuser struck out, but after a dropped third strike, he made his way to first. Richardson made the heads-up play and stole home as Reuser got thrown. A few batters later, Lafata brought home the second run of the inning as he lined out to centerfield. 

The Kingsmen added two more runs in the fifth. Heverly singled to start the inning. He advanced to second on an error by the pitcher and was brought home by a single up the middle from Bullard. The second run of the inning was scored by Bullard after a wild pitch and an error. 

Cal Lutheran scored one more run in each of the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings and took a 7-2 lead into the ninth. 

The Kingsmen return home and open conference play Feb. 25 at Caltech for one game at 2:30 p.m. 

Box Score: CLU 7, CNU 2
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director