NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (February 20, 2016) - Senior shortstop Gerry Patrizio and sophomore right fielder Danny Iannaccone each had three hits, but it was not enough as the Rutgers University-Newark baseball team dropped a high-scoring 18-10 game to Christopher Newport University Saturday afternoon at Captains Park.

The Scarlet Raiders (0-2) had 13 hits in the game and went on top 10-0 after the top half of the third inning, but Christopher Newport (4-0) scored 18 unanswered to earn the victory.

Patrizio went 3-for-5 with a walk, three runs scored and a run batted in, and Iannaccone went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run. Senior first baseman Cameron Dias went 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs, and sophomore catcher Justin Marks finished 2-for-5 with an RBI and run scored. Freshman second baseman Ryan Zucker also tallied a pair of hits (2-for-4), adding a walk and a run.

For the second time in as many games, senior right fielder Tommy Vitaletti tallied five hits to lead the Captains, going 5-for-6 with two homers, eight RBI and three runs scored. Sophomore catcher Brandon Walker, junior second baseman Keith Walker and freshman shortstop Austin Henry all had multiple hits for CNU, and both junior Josh Moore and senior Kyle Corwin hit home runs.

Rutgers-Newark started strong for a second-straight outing, plating two runs in the top of the first inning. A double from Dias put runners on second and third with one out, and junior left fielder Josh Cote brought home Patrizio with a groundout before a two-out single from Marks scored Dias.

The Scarlet Raiders scored eight runs in the third inning and Patrizio set the table with a single to lead things off. Dias reached on an error, and after a strikeout, a Marks double scored one. Sophomore designated hitter Anthony Perconte singled to bring in Dias and a sacrifice fly from senior third baseman Brian Kokos made it 5-0. Iannaccone doubled to center to bring around Perconte and a walk to senior center fielder Billy Taylor chased CNU starter Craig Johnson.

Patrizio greeted Joe Burris with a run-scoring single, and Dias delivered a two-run double to right to make it 10-0.

Sophomore starter Mike Zibrin cruised through the first two innings of his season unscathed, allowing just one baserunner, but Christopher Newport scored six in the third inning to cut the Scarlet Raider lead to four.

The two offenses cooled in the fourth and fifth innings, before CNU went ahead for good with seven runs in the sixth as a three-run Vitaletti homer and two-run shot for Moore did most of the damage.

R-N had the tying run at the plate in the seventh after a Zucker single and Patrizio base on balls but could not capitalize, and five runs for the hosts in the bottom of the eighth put the game out of reach.

Zibrin went the first four innings for the Scarlet Raiders, and lefty reliever Dominick Fazio suffered the loss (0-1). Burris earned the win for CNU, going 3.1 innings and scattering four hits and just one run.

Rutgers-Newark will look to get its first win of the season Sunday morning when the Scarlet Raiders battle the City College of New York in Newport News, Va. at Captains Park. Live stats for the 11 a.m. first pitch will be available from CNU at www.rutgersnewarkathletics.com.