NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Trailing by two in the bottom of the 10th inning, the Christopher Newport baseball team came from behind for a thrilling 6-5 extra-inning victory over Hampden-Sydney College (3-3) on Tuesday afternoon. The Captains (4-1) tied the game with a run in the eighth and finished off the rally with three runs in the bottom of the 10th to walk off against the Tigers. 

After giving up two runs in the first inning, the Captains trailed Hampden-Sydney throughout the contest. CNU scored one in the second to cut the lead in half, but the teams traded single runs in the fourth as the Tigers held a one-run lead for the majority of the game. In the bottom of the eighth, CNU scored the game-tying run as Conner Clark raced home on an RBI single by Kyle Schofield into right field. 

With the score knotted at three runs apiece, the teams headed to extra innings where the Tigers promptly re-took the lead. Back-to-back walks to lead off the inning put H-SC in position to take the advantage. After a pop-up bunt try for the first out, the Tigers loaded the bases with another walk. This week's Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week, Matt Gaither, struck out the next batter for the second out and then sawed off the next hitter with a wicked two-strike breaking ball, but the swinging bunt created a tough play at third base. An RBI single was compounded by a throwing error and two runs came across for the visitors. 

Gaither struck out the next batter to finish out the inning. The rookie has now struck out eight in 4.1 innings of work out of the Captains pen this year. 

Facing a two-run deficit in the bottom of the 10th, the Captains did not shy away, getting a lead-off single into left field by Clark. Jonathan Fisher then reached on an error by the third baseman to put two on with nobody out. Senior catcher Eric O'Brien stepped in and backed up his Conference Player of the Week deisgnation with an RBI single up the middle to pull the Captains within one and put the tying run in scoring position. 

The next batter, Scott Crosson, would lay down a beautiful sacrifice bunt and reached on a muffed throw by the first baseman that allowed Fisher to race home and tie the game. Michael Martorano, who homered earlier in the game, was intentionally walked to create a bases-loaded force situation with nobody out. The Tigers nearly wiggled out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts, but rookie Daniel Elliott delivered the knockout blow with an RBI single into left field. 

Prior to the late game theatrics, the teams battled in a pitchers duel that featured some impressive moments. Sophomore Jack Rosenberg had as dominant a showing as you can, facing six batters and sitting them all down on strikes. He came on for the Captains in the sixth inning and posted five swinging strikeouts and one batter down looking. The sophomore lefty now has a team-leading 10 strikeouts in 4.0 innings of work this season. 

Offensively, Martorano's home run was the highlight, a towering blast to left field that was a no doubter the moment it struck the bat. The junior's fourth career home run came on an 0-1 count in the bottom of the fourth inning. 

Rookie Jack Braley started for CNU, allowing three runs in 3.0 innings while striking out four. Nathan Clements came on in relief allowing just one hit in 2.0 clean innings of relief before Rosenberg. Gaither (2-0) earned the win, striking out a pair after Danny Checkosky went 2.0+ with one hit and three strikeouts. 

Christopher Newport returns to action on Wednesday, March 10 as they travel to Bridgewater College. First pitch against the Eagles is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.