SALISBURY, Md. - Junior first baseman Mike Celenza clubbed his team-leading 11th home run of the season and had four RBIs to lead No. 4 Salisbury University to a 10-3 victory over Christopher Newport University in a critical in-region baseball game on a sunny and warm Saturday afternoon at Sea Gull Field.

The non-conference win is pivotal for SU, the 2009 Capital Athletic Conference champions, as the Sea Gulls (34-6) do not have an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament. Christopher Newport (22-10-1) is a top contender for an at-large bid from the USA South conference. The victory evens the season series between the two clubs as SU dropped a 7-4 decision to the Captains yesterday (April 24) on the road.

Salisbury pounded out 12 hits against CNU as Celenza and sophomore catcher Andrew Miller led the way with three hits apiece. Celenza added to his efforts with a double and three runs scored. Miller scored a game-high four runs and also swiped two stolen bases. The sophomore is a perfect 24-for-24 on the base paths this season. Senior outfielder Cody Collins was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and senior second baseman Randy Boyle chipped in two RBIs and scored a run.

Sophomore starting pitcher Kyle Judson (9-0) picked up his team-leading ninth win of the season as he went seven innings and gave up just three runs (two earned). He scattered seven hits, walked one and struck out seven. Sophomore left-hander Dustin Herbert (two strikeouts) ran his scoreless inning streak to 15 innings as he came on in the eighth and pitched two perfect innings.

The Sea Gulls jumped out on the Captains early as they put up two runs on the scoreboard in the first inning. Miller led off a bunt single, two on the day, then stole second and moved to third on a fly out by Boyle. Celenza followed up with a double to deep center field to plate Miller. Celenza came around on a RBI-single by Collins moments later.

SU ran the score to 5-0 with a three-run second inning. Salisbury had its first five runners reach base to begin the inning. Boyle singled home sophomore third baseman Brian Green. Celenza looked to continue SU's run of hits in the inning but had a line drive snagged by Captain first baseman Chris Despins. The out saved an extra-base hit but allowed sophomore shortstop Will Evans to score. Miller scored SU's third run on a wild pitch to give the maroon and gold the five-run lead.

After two perfect innings to start the game Judson was touched up for two runs in the third. CNU used a RBI-single by Mike Giarrizzi (two hits) and a sacrifice fly by Parker Neal (two RBIs) to cut SU's lead to three, 5-2. SU went to work again with a three-run fourth inning as Boyle, freshman outfielder Bill Morton, and Collins all had RBI-singles.

The Sea Gulls increased the score to 10-2 in the sixth when Celenza blasted an opposite field two-run home run into the trees over the left field fence. Christopher Newport pushed across a run in the top of the seventh inning as Neal registered his second RBI of the game on a fielder's choice which scored David Fennessey. CNU shortstop Trae Bailey, the 2008 USA South Player of the Year, went 0-for-4 in the game as SU struck him out twice.

CNU starting pitcher Kyle Baumann (0-1) earned the loss after he gave up five runs on six hits in two innings of work. Chris Malvagna and Austin Lindley pitched two innings apiece after Baumann as the pair allowed five additional runs. Kyle Harsanyi and Matt McDaniel each threw one scoreless inning for the Captains in the final two innings.

Salisbury will take two days off before hitting the road for a pair of important non-conference matches. The Sea Gulls will travel to Johns Hopkins University, the 2008 NCAA Division III national finalist, on Tuesday, April 28, at 3:30 p.m. Last season, JHU defeated Salisbury 9-4 in the South Regional final in Danville, Va. SU will then face Eastern Shore rival Washington (Md.) College on Wednesday, April 29, at 3 p.m.

NOTES: Salisbury will make-up its game with Frostburg State University on Monday, May 4, in Towson, Md., on the campus of Towson University. The game is slated to begin at 3:30 p.m.