MIDDLETOWN, Pa. -- For the fourth time this season, the formidable Christopher Newport offense scored over 40 runs in a three-game Capital Athletic Conference series when they posted another 13 runs on Sunday, but the Penn State Harrisburg Lions held on in a shootout, 18-13, to avoid the sweep at the hands of the Captains. Eleven home runs were hit in the contest, with five by CNU, who fell to 27-4, 14-2 after the 18-13 setback. 

The Captains fell behind 17-3 in the game before staging a late comeback bid with 10 runs in the final two frames. With plenty of firepower but just not enough outs remaining, the Captains fell short of the come-from-behind effort as Penn State Harrisburg improved to 24-10-1, 11-7 CAC. 

In the game, senior Nicholas Baham belted his 13th home run of the season to become just the second CNU player all-time to reach 30 career blasts. He is also just the fourth player in Captains lore with 13 roundtrippers in a single season, joining Matt Turner, Chris Phaup, and teammate Seth Woodard. For his career, Baham trails only Turner, one of Division III's all-time leaders in home runs with 51 career homers. 

His three-run blast in the top of the fourth inning got CNU on the board with just their third hit against the Lions starter. With 3 RBI in the game, Baham stayed hot with his fourth multi-RBI performance in the last five games. He now has a team-high 49 runs batted in for the year, tying for 10th in single season history at CNU. 

While Baham's blast was the only offense for CNU through seven innings, the Captains came to life in the top of the 8th. Woodard and Nick DiNapoli led things off with back-to-back jacks to start what would end up being a seven-run inning. Baham reached on an error and Jordan Mason singled to chase the Lions reliever from the game. The next pitcher didn't fare any better, hitting Trey Hicks, allowing a run on a wild pitch, and drilling Ryan Grubbs for his only action. 

With the bases loaded, Eric O'Brien singled in a run for the fourth run in the inning. After two outs were recorded, Woodard waited patiently at the plate before earning an RBI walk, his 37th free pass of the season, and DiNapoli added a two-run single. The Lions escaped without any further damage as CNU had cut the lead to 17-10, but had just one inning left to hit. 

In the bottom of the 8th, Penn State Harrisburg added a run, creating an eight-run deficit for CNU to try to erase with three outs remaining. The power bats continued to show as Trey Hicks hammered a solo home run and Joseph Cutchins also delivered a two-run shot, but that would be the extent of the offense as CNU finished out the 18-13 loss. 

The Lions scored at least one run in all eight plate appearances and hit six home runs. Zach Koroneos led the team with 6 RBI while Ryan McSorley hit a pair of home runs. 

Christopher Newport pounded out 15 hits and saw all nine starters register at least one in the game with five multi-hit efforts. DiNapoli led the way, going 3-for-5 with 3 RBI and 2 runs scored. Grubbs reached in all five of his plate appearances with a 2-for-2 effort at the dish, two walks, and one hit-by-pitch. The senior backstop has continued his stellar final season by leading the Captains with a .461 average and unconscionable .653 on-base percentage. The single season record for OBP at Christopher Newport was set by Tab Pabst in 1991 with a .543 mark. 

The Captains are scheduled to face York College of Pennsylvania in the final regular season conference series of the year next Saturday and Sunday. CNU will throw out the first pitch of a CAC doubleheader on Saturday, April 27 at Noon.