NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia - The Virginia Wesleyan baseball team fell to the cross bay rivals the Captains of Christopher Newport University 8-2 on Saturday afternoon in Newport News, VA. The Marlins are now 0-5 on the season while the Captains are 2-1. 

INSIDE THE SCORE
Christopher Newport sent the Marlins back to their dugout in order to begin the game while putting two runs up in the bottom half of the inning on a home run over the left center field wall for the two RBI. VWU left one stranding in the second while Jay Crusemire and company took care of business in the bottom half sending the Captains back in order as the teams headed into the third.

The Marlins again were called out in order as all three grounded out, while the Captains responded with a third run in the bottom of the third inning taking a 3-0 lead. The Virginia Wesleyan bats stayed cold in thr fourth while the home team added two more runs to go ahead 5-0.

Tyriq Campbell doubled to lead off the top of the fifth inning for VWU and Connor Hall walked to runners on first and second, however, the next two batters to the plate struck out and the third flew out to center field leaving the two Marlins stranded. Virginia Wesleyan allowed just one hit in the bottom of the fifth and kept Christopher Newport from scoring their runner as he was left on first as the teams headed into the sixth.

Dylan Gentry led off the sixth with a walk and advanced to second on a pass ball to get in scoring position. Miles Christian singled to right field and Gentry took a chance on going home but was tagged out at home plate following the throw from right field to the catcher. Christian stole second and advanced to third on a ground out by Matt Dagostino to the second baseman. Nice Price recorded the first RBI for VWU after hitting a triple to right center field that scored Christian putting the score at 5-1. Campbell followed Price's triple with a double of his own down the right field line to score the Price for VWU's second run. Hall returned to the plate and was walked on a full count and both Campbell and Hall advanced a bag on a wild pitch putting both in scoring position with two outs for Matt Sinko's at-bat. Unfortunately the inning ended there as Sinko struck out leaving two stranded for VWU who trailed 5-2.

CNU countered the Marlins two-run top half of the inning by adding three runs to their score taking an 8-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth. The first score came on a two out runners on the corners scenario and a well placed single scored the runner on third. After a wild pitch advanced the base runners a bag, another single, this one to center field, score the runners from third and second increasing the lead to 8-2 heading into the seventh. 

VWU had bases loaded in the top of the seventh but couldn't drive in the runs as the inning ended with a strikeout to bring the Captains up to bat. The Marlins sent the Captains back to the dugout after a great double play third to second to first keeping the score steady.

Virginia Wesleyan managed to get one on base in the eighth but again could not bat the runner home but did send the Captains back to the bench in order. 

VWU had some hope in the top of the ninth with runners of first and second but a strikeout ended the comeback as the Captains won 8-2.

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN LEADERS 
The Marlins were led by Miles Christian and Nick Price with one run on two hits in five at-bats each. Price added to his stat line one of two RBIs for the Marlins. Tyriq Campbell drove in the second RBI. Jay Crusemire (L: 0-1) threw 5.2 innings giving up eight runs on 11 hits while striking out three of 28 batters faced on the mound for VWU. 

CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT LEADERS
The Captains were led by Jonathan Fisher with one run on one hit and drove in three RBI. Conner Clark was one of four batters with two hits each and was second on the team with two RBI. Dylan Weber (W: 1-0) threw 5.2 innings giving up two runs on five hits, walking four and striking out six.

UP NEXT
Virginia Wesleyan returns to action on tomorrow when they face CNU for a game two of the weekend series.