NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Despite falling behind 10-0 after two and  a half innings, the Christopher Newport baseball team rallied and scored 18 unanswered runs to pick up an 18-10 victory over Rutgers-Newark on Saturday afternoon. Senior Tommy Vitaletti was a catalyst for the offensive outburst, going 5-6 with a career-high 8 RBI, 2 HR and 3 runs scored. 

Vitaletti became just the second player in CNU Baseball history to drive in as many as eight runs in a game as he continued his scorching start to the season. His second straight five-hit performance raised his batting average to .722 (13-18) with five extra-base hits and 10 RBI. On Saturday, he smashed a pair of home runs, leading CNU's dominant performance at the plate. 

For the second straight day, the Captains' starting pitcher struggled against the Scarlet Raiders, as Craig Johnson gave up nine runs in 2.2 innings of work on Saturday. Also for the second straight day, however, the CNU bullpen was sensational, and finished with just one run in 6.1 innings work comined between four arms. 

Against Johnson, Josh Cote delivered an RBI groundout followed by an RBI single by Justin Marks. Then, in the third inning, the flood gates opened for the Scarlet Raiders. Eight runs would cross in the inning on six hits and two errors. Cameron Dias, Marks and Danny Iannaccone would each deliver RBI doubles in the frame. 

Facing another big mountain to climb, the Captains showed life in the bottom of the third, answering the 8-run frame with six of their own. With the bases loaded and one out, Vitaletti laced a ground ball past the second baseman for a pair of RBI. Two batters later, Connor Henderson double down the line for two RBI, followed by a run-scoring wild pitch and RBI groundout by Josh Moore. 

Reliever Joe Burris (2-0) settled in after the Captains' showed some life and struck out a pair in the top of the fourth. He gave up just two hits in the next three innings as he held the Scarlet Raiders at bay. Burris would be put in line for the win when the Captains added another crooked number in the bottom of the sixth. 

Brandon Walker singled to start the inning, followed by back-to-back doubles from freshmen Austin Henry and Jordan Mason. After an infield single by Keith Roberts, Vitaletti stepped in with two on and nobody out. Facing Dominick Fazio, Vitaletti got the green light on a 3-0 fastball and demolished a pitch over the left field wall, getting CNU on top for the first time, 11-10. It was the first round-tripper of the season for Vitaletti, and the first of four for the Captains on Saturday. Number two would come just two batters later when Josh Moore smashed a two-run shot to right field, capping a 7-run sixth inning that put CNU on top, 13-10. 

The bullpen continued to roll as rookie Kyle Zimmermann stepped in for one inning, followed by a perfect 8th inning by junior Caleb Myers. Myers induced three straight ground balls to the middle infield in an efficient eight-pitch inning. 

Offering the pitching staff some late breathing room, the CNU offense kept at it with a five-run eighth inning. Senior Kyle Corwin pinch hit for Moore and promptly smacked his first home run of the season, a solo shot to left field. Walker would reach on a hit-by-pitch, followed by singles from Henry and Roberts to put two on with two out for Vitaletti's final at-bat.. He would not disappoint as his red-hot start continued when he posted his second HR of the day, a three-run job to left. 

The school record for RBI in a single game is 11, set by Matt Turner, who had two more performances of 8+ RBI. No other player had ever driven in eight in a single game until Vitaletti's effort on Saturday. 

Head coach John Harvell called on closer Adam Emerson for the final three outs and the senior obliged with a pair of strikeouts and a groundball out to third. 

Four CNU relievers combined to go 6.1 innings with 6 hits, 1 ER and 6 strikeouts. Fazio (0-1) picked up the loss with 1.1 innings of relief, giving up six hits, six runs, two walks and two strikeouts. 

Walker, Henry and Roberts joined Vitaletti with multi-hit performances, each garnering two base hits on Saturday. Moore had three RBI while Henderon and Roberts each added multi-RBI performances as well. 

In the slugfest, Rutgers-Newark got multi-hit performances from five different players, including three-hit games from Gerry Patrizio and Danny Iannaccone. 

The Captains will return to action on Sunday, February 21 as they host CCNY at 2:00 pm. Live stats will be available at CNUsports.com/live.