Box Score  NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Hampden-Sydney built a 6-0 lead and then held off a CNU comeback, sending the Captains to an 8-5 defeat Friday afternoon at Captains Park in the season opener for both teams. The game was shortened to eight innings due to darkness.

The Tigers put two on the board in the second, with one run unearned. But then they added four in the fifth with the aid of four walks.

CNU immediately answered with three in the fifth, with a bases loaded walk to Steven Lindemuth, an RBI single by Chris Despins and a sacrifice fly by Steven Keener.

With single runs in the sixth and seventh the Captains cut the deficit to 6-5. The Tigers added two insurance runs in the eighth with another being unearned.

Despins finished with two hits and an RBI, as did freshman Drue Vernon and Parker Neal.

Josh Brinkman took the loss, going four innings.

CNU's scheduled game with St. Mary's Saturday has been postponed. The Captains will host Randolph-Macon in a doubleheader Sunday at noon.

The box score