MARIETTA, Ohio -- On the second day of the NCAA Regional at Marietta, Ohio, the Christopher Newport baseball team suffered a 14-5 loss to No. 2 Marietta College (40-5) and was forced into an elimination game against Kalamazoo later in the evening. Against the Hornets, CNU scored three runs in the top of the first but a pair of lightning delays forced the NCAA Games Committee to suspend play at 9:30 and the game will resume on Sunday. 

When play resumes, Christopher Newport will be at the plate in the top of the fourth with two outs and a 3-0 lead. The Captains scored twice on an RBI single by Michael Martorano before the first delay, and then again on a bases-loaded walk by Drew Caroline just after play resumed the first time. Around 9:30, another delay led to the decision to postpone action until Sunday. 

With two outs, Justin Bowers and Alec Reilly walks sandwiched a single through the left side by Daniel Elliott in the top of the first to load the bases. Martorano, a senior outfielder, ripped a single through the left side to plate the first two runs of the game. 

On the mound, rookie Colin D'Arcy was exceptional through the first three frames, striking out three and allowing just two hits. 

The Captains' appearance against Kalamazoo came after a tough outing in the first game, in which the host and top-seeded Pioneers opening up a 10-0 lead after two innings of play and never looked back. Christopher Newport reserves put five on the board in the final three innings, but a comeback bid was not in the cards during game three of the regional. 

Sophomore starter Jay Cassady (6-4) was hit hard as he surrendered ten earned runs in the first two innings. After the initial surge, Cassady settled in and allowed only two more earned runs over the next three innings before handing the ball off to reliever Jack Braley. Braley, making his first appearance in over a month, was spectacular in relief holding down the nation's top offense for four innings out of the bullpen. He retired eight straight to start his outing before giving up back-to-back hits, but left the runners stranded in the top of the eighth with a punchout. 

Braley gave up one more hit in the ninth,  but added another strikeout and two outs on the infield to finish his outing with four shutout innings. He struck out four and did not issue a walk while giving up three hits to 15 batters faced. In 45 games played this season, it was only the 12th time the Pioneers were held scoreless for four consecutive frames and only the third time a single reliever held Marietta scoreless for four innings or more in a game.

Offensively, CNU struggled against Marietta starter Isaac Danford and did not record their first hit until the bottom of the fifth inning when Martorano led off with a single. He advanced to third but was left there as CNU trailed, 14-0, heading into the final four frames. The Captains finally lit up the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh when rookie Grant Hartman reached on a pinch-hit walk. The next batter, pinch hitter Ethan Weaver, delivered an RBI double into left center field to get the Captains on the board. 

In the bottom of the ninth, Alec Reilly walked and moved up to third when Hartman doubled into the left field corner. They both moved up 90 feet, including a run scored by Reilly, on a balk, and Weaver then added his second RBI double of the afternoon on a 1-2 pitch. After Marietta recorded the second out, Jonathan Fisher reached on a walk and fifth-year senior Conner Clark stepped in with two on and two out. Clark fouled off a couple of pitches before blistering a two-run double into left field to cap the scoring for CNU at five. 

The hit was his 239th career base knock and came paired with his 117th and 118th career RBI. He sits just six RBI back of Brandon Ginch for tenth all-time at CNU in career runs batted in and the double moved him into a tie for ninth with Ginch for total bases with 288 in his career. 

Cassady struck out a pair and moved into a tie for seventh all-time at CNU with 95 strikeouts this season. Mike Cosby had 95 during CNU's 2004 campaign. 

Christopher Newport will return to action on Sunday at a game time to be determined by the Games Committee early in the morning. The forecast projects more rain in Marietta, Ohio so fans should stay tuned to CNUsports.com and follow @CNUathletics on Twitter for the most up-to-date information.