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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The first game of the season for Christopher Newport University baseball was postponed twice. It would only be fitting for the Captains and Hampden-Sydney Tigers (2-2) to get their money's worth when Mother Nature finally allowed the game to be played. It took 12 innings, but CNU (1-0) earned a season-opening victory with a walk-off walk by junior outfielder Preston Grissom. 

Newcomer Austin Kilbourne (1-0) headlined the first game of the year, picking up his first win of the season with three innings of relief. He also set up the game-winning run with a lead-off double in the bottom of the 12th inning before being pulled for a pinch runner. His replacement, senior Andy Viands, would trot home after a pair of intentional walks loaded the bases and a patient at-bat from Grissom walked in the winning run. 

The junior pitcher/DH for the Captains tossed all three of the extra innings after seniors Bryan Bierlein and Jacob Vaughan combined to give up just four hits in the first nine. Bierlein struck out three while walking just one in five innings of work in his 2014 debut, giving up a pair of earned runs on three hits. Vaughan was strong in relief, giving up just one hit in four innings, striking out five. 

Offensively, six different CNU players had one hit in the game. Sophomore catcher Collin Wilber was one of them and added two trips to first after being hit-by-pitch, finishing the day 1-for-2 with a run scored.

Senior Billy Steel got CNU on the board in the bottom of the third, scorching a hard hit ground ball just out of the reach of Hampden-Sydney's third baseman. With the bases loaded, Steel drove in a pair and gave CNU the lead. 

The Tigers would respond immediately, getting a sacrifice fly from Andrew Tucker and an RBI double by catcher Nathan Chamberlin in the top half of the fourth. Five different Hampden-Sydney players had one hit in the game. 

Pitching led the way, with eight different players combining to allow just 11 hits. Michael Flanagan (0-1) picked up the loss after giving up the Kilbourne double and game-winning Grissom walk. 

Christopher Newport will return to action on Monday, Feb. 10 as they host their first ever Capital Athletic Conference matchup. CNU will host St. Mary's (Md.) at 2:00 pm with live stats available at CNUsports.com