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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Despite a season-high three home runs and nine extra-base hits, the Christopher Newport baseball team suffered a 14-11 setback to Randolph-Macon College (2-2). Junior Preston Grissom blasted a pair and senior Billy Steel added his first of the season, leading a group of six Captains with multi-hit efforts on Wednesday afternoon.

CNU (1-4) scored in eight of the nine innings, but could not overcome an 11-run burst in the middle innings by the Yellow Jackets. Both teams traded one-run frames through the first three and a scoreless fourth; then, over the next three innings, Randolph-Macon outscored CNU 11-3. The Captains outscored R-MC, 5-0, in the last two innings, but could not complete the comeback late. 

Senior Jamie Hendrick (2-0) tossed five innings for the Yellow Jackets, giving up four earned runs while striking out five. CNU junior Jordan Boze (0-1) suffered the loss in relief of rookie starter Michael Thomas. Boze struck out a pair in 2.1 innings of relief, allowing two hits and a pair of earned runs.

After falling behind 1-0 in the first, Steel and fellow senior Justin Weaver tied things up with back-to-back two-out doubles. In the second, Nate Meiners doubled home Michael Kroll to re-take the lead, 2-1, but a lead-off triple from Austin Kilbourne set up a run-scoring groundout by Kyle Corwin.

The back-and-forth start continued when the Yellow Jackets added a run in the top of the third, followed by a long blast to left center field by Steel. The senior torched his eighth career home run to even the score at 3-3. 

Randolph-Macon scored three times in the top of the fifth, including a solo home run by Travis Lodge. CNU would only get one back in the bottom half, but it was a loud one, as Grissom pounded one over the left field wall. The Yellow Jackets broke it open in the sixth inning, scoring five runs with a three-run blast by Nick Maiolo leading the way. 

Facing an eight-run deficit after seven innings, the Captains continued to battle in the final two innings. Junior Justin Garber gave up a lead-off single, but then retired the next three batters to get CNU back to the plate. A lead-off double by rookie pinch hitter A.J. Nicely kicked things off, followed by the third hit of the game for sophomore catcher Collin Wilber. The two runners advanced on a wild pitch and Nicely scored on a groundout, bringing up Grissom with two outs. He blasted his second home run of the game, driving in three runs to lead the way for CNU.

In the ninth, Garber retired the side in order with a pair of strikeouts, closing out his day with 2.0 innings pitched, three strikeouts and one hit allowed. CNU sophomore third baseman Kyle Corwin drove in a pair with a two-out two-RBI single in the bottom half, but the comeback was denied as junior reliever Jake Bram closed out the win with his third strikeout.

CNU had six players finish with multi-hit games -- Willber was 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI and a walk, while Steel, Weaver, Grissom, Kilbourne and Corwin each added two-hit performances. Corwin and Grissom each drove in three. 

Maiolo, powered by his three-run homer, drove in a game-high five runs in a 4-for-5 day at the plate. Macon's top four batters combined for ten hits in 18 at-bats, reaching base 12 times. 

The Captains are scheduled to play Oneonta State in a doubleheader this Friday, February 21st, with first pitch slated for Noon.