ARLINGTON, Va. -- In the 2016 Capital Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament opener, the 5th-seeded Christopher Newport baseball team suffered a loss at second-seeded Marymount, 11-3. The Captains (25-13) will need to play back through the consolation bracket to compete for the league championship, and will face an elimination game on Thursday morning at 9:00 am in Frostburg, Maryland. CNU will face the losing team from the Penn State Harrisburg/Frostburg State matchup, being played later in the day on Tuesday. 

For the tournament website will have up-to-date box scores, results and updated pairings, click here.

The Captains fell behind after a pair of 4-run innings by the Saints in the middle innings, and were unable to strike back. Senior third baseman Kyle Corwin went 4-for-4 to lead the Captains' offense, scoring once and adding one run driven in, while A.J. Nicely added two hits in four at-bats. 

Marymount got out to an early 1-0 lead by taking advantage of a pair of CNU miscues in the bottom of the 1st inning, but Christopher Newport erased that lead in the top of the third. Corwin led off with a single through the left side of the infield and moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brandon Walker. After Joseph Cutchins walked, rookie Jordan Mason singled into left field to load the bases. Nicely then delivered a sacrifice fly to center field to plate the Captains' first run. 

In the bottom of the 4th, though, the Saints would get to CNU starter Michael Thomas (4-1), scoring four runs on three hits in the inning. Ben Berczek singled and Stephen Berczek walked, setting up a 2-run double by Nick Smutko. Two batters later, Luke Tyree doubled to plate two more before a Lorenzo Calderon sacrifice fly capped the four-run frame. 

Facing a 5-1 deficit heading into the 5th inning, it was Corwin again in the middle of the action for CNU as they tried to cut into the lead. After a pair of free passes to Keith Roberts, a hit-by-pitch, and Connor Henderson, a walk, Corwin delivered a single down the line in left to make the score 5-2. The next two batters were retired by reliever John Lamotta, however, as the Saints again escaped a dangerous situation with runners on base. 

Calderon added an RBI single in the bottom of the 6th, and Brandon Savage blasted a three-run home run in the inning as Marymount pulled away. The Captains would get one in the 8th, answered by two more in the bottom of the 8th for the Saints, as the final score would be etched at 11-3. 

Sean O'Connell (3-1) got the win for Marymount, allowing two earned runs over 5.1 innings of work, with five hits allowed. Lamotta gave up just one unearned run in 2.2 innings of relief, and Conner Hall wrapped up the game with a scoreless 9th inning. Thomas gave up 5 runs, 4 earned, in a 4-inning start for the Captains, followed by a four-run relief appearance by Craig Johnson. Johnson struck out four in two innings and gave way to Caleb Myers for a clean 7th. Senior Adam Emerson then pitched the bottom of the 8th for CNU, allowing two earned while striking out a pair. 

The Captains will return to the field on Thursday morning, traveling to host and top-seeded Frostburg State University for a 9:00 am first pitch.