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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The Christopher Newport University baseball team suffered another gut-wrenching setback Sunday afternoon, leading the 10th-ranked SUNY Cortland Red Dragons (5-1), 8-7, headed into the ninth inning, but unable to hold on for the win. Cortland won the game, 10-8, as the Captains fall to 5-6 on the season with their second ninth-inning loss of the week. 

Sophomore Jacob Houston stood out for the Christopher Newport on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, kicking off a stellar performance by smashing his first career home run in the bottom of the second inning. The two-run blast was the first of three hits on the day, en route to a career-high tying four-RBI game. 

His blast came in support of senior starting pitcher Jacob Vaughan, who despite a shaky start, held a 2-1 lead into the sixth inning. In the top of the first, the Red Dragons looked primed to jump on Vaughan, but the veteran right-hander managed the damage. A solo home run to lead-off batter Conrad Ziemendorf was the only Cortland batter to cross the plate, as the Red Dragons left the bases loaded in the inning. 

After the three-hit first, Vaughan then limited the Red Dragons to just four hits over 5.2 innings of work. He walked one and struck out four en route to a no decision. Cortland would take the lead against the senior, though, when they posted a three-run sixth inning. After a pair of hit batters led off the inning, Vaughan struck out Donny Castaldo to get the first out. Chris Jackson would pinch hit in the next spot, however, and hit a three-run home run over the right center field wall. 

With Vaughan chased, the Red Dragons held a 4-2 lead headed into the bottom of the sixth inning. CNU cut the lead in half as they manufacted a run. Senior Justin Weaver opened things up with an infield single and advanced on a wild pitch. Then, after an error by the shortstop allowed him to reach third, junior Preston Grissom loaded the bases with a base-hit bunt. That set up Houston's second RBI-knock of the day, powering a ground ball through the right side to plate Weaver. The Captains would leave the bases loaded though, and notch just one run. 

In the eighth inning, SUNY Cortland added to their lead again, putting three runs across to make the score 7-3. Tim Panetta singled home a run and Vinny Bomasuto tripled off the center field wall to score two more. With just six outs remaining, the Captains faced their largest deficit of the game. 

The Captains re-took the lead in the bottom half of the inning, chasing effective relief pitcher Mark Palumbo. Pinch hitter Bryant Lowry led off with a walk, followed by a hard-hit single up the middle by Kyle Corwin. Grissom walked to load the bases again for Houston. Cortland called on Bomasuto to pitch, coming in from his post in left field. For the second straight at-bat, Houston singled through the right side to score a run, pinch runner Andy Viands. Catcher Collin Wilber then hit a sacrifice fly to center field, plating Corwin and pulling the Captains within a pair. 

Tommy Vitaletti stepped to the plate as the go-ahead run and wasted no time at all giving the Captains the lead. On the first pitch he saw from Bomasuto, the junior outfielder blasted a no-doubt homer into the netting over the left center field wall. The shot gave CNU an 8-7 lead with three outs to go. 

Cortland showcased why they are one of the top teams in the country, however, when they came up to bat in the top of the ninth. Junior Jordan Boze returned to the mound for his third inning of work and immediately got the first out. Two runners reached before Boze retired the second batter with a infield pop-out, but the Captains were one out away from the win. Catcher Tim Panetta drove in the game-tying run with a single through the left side, and two more would come in to score as Cortland took a 10-8 lead for the eventual final score. 

The Red Dragons' closer, Steve Komanecky, came on for a 1-2-3 ninth inning to secure the victory and his first save of the year. Bomasuta earned the win, tossing one inning of relief. SUNY Cortland starter, Brandon McClain, struck out eight in 4.2 innings of work but left the game with a no decision. 

Houston led the Captains with a 3-for-4 performance, driving in four and scoring twice. Vitaletti was 2-for-4 with three RBI and one run scored. Willber added an RBI, in addition to strong defense behind the plate. He cut down a pair of would-be base stealers for the Captains. 

CNU is scheduled to play Mary Washington in CAC action on Wednesday, March 5 at 3:00 pm.