NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Coming from behind for the fifth time this season, the Christopher Newport baseball team picked up its eighth straight victory to start the year, marking the finest start in program history. CNU defeated Susquehanna (1-2) by a final score of 8-6, on a beautiful, sunny day at Captains Park, improving to 8-0 this season. 

The Captains made program history, setting a new mark for consecutive wins to start the season as no team in the previous 34 year history of CNU baseball had won their first eight games. It would not come easy, as the potent Crusaders bats got out to a lead on three different occasions in the game. CNU answered each time, and used a five-run seventh inning to pull ahead for good. 

CNU went to sophomore right-hander Craig Johnson for the start, and he was effective for 5.0 innings of work. He scattered seven hits and held Susquehanna to just two runs, striking out one. The Captains' starter worked out of jam in four frames, including getting a key inning-ending double play in the fourth inning. 

Offensively, Susquehanna scored first, plating a run in the top of the first inning on an RBI single by Zach Leone. The Captains answered with a blistering double to right center by Brandon Ginch, plating CNU's first run in the bottom of the inning. The Crusaders took another one-run lead in the 3rd inning when Danny Gordon plated a run on a sacrifice fly. Despite two doubles in the inning, Johnson escaped with just one run allowed with another flyout to center and a ground ball to second. 

CNU tied the game again in the fourth when A.J. Nicely posted a sac fly of his own, scoring Connor Henderson. The Captains would take a short lead in the 5th when Tommy Vitaletti had a nice hustle play to score from second base on a sacrifice bunt by Keith Roberts. The lead wouldn't hold, as Susquehanna scored two in the next half-inning, on RBI by Matt Cassinelli and Dylan Glassmire. 

Most of the fireworks came in the 7th inning as both teams had turned to their bullpens. In the top half, Leone put the Crusaders up 6-3 with a 2-run home run to left field. As they have all season, though, the Captains answered with another come-from-behind rally. 

In the bottom of the inning, Vitaletti stepped in and smashed a lead-off homer to left center, sparking a big inning for the Captains. Brandon Ginch earned a pivotal walk sending Roberts back to the plate representing the game-tying run. The second baseman stepped in and smacked a 2-1 pitch over the left field wall to tie the game, 6-6. It was Roberts' first home run of the season. 

With nobody out and the game locked at six, the Captains offense kept at it. Senior Kyle Corwin singled to right and advanced to third when Brandon Walker doubled off the left field wall. A gutsy call from head coach John Harvell with a freshman at the plate would prove to be the game-winning decision. With the count to rookie Austin Henry at 1-1, Corwin sprinted home on the windup in a suicide squeeze. Henry laid down the bunt and Corwin scored the go-ahead tally for the Captains. For good measure, Nicely laced a single through the left side for another run, and CNU took an 8-6 lead into the final six outs defensively. 

Junior reliever Caleb Myers (2-0) needed just three pitches to get through the eighth inning, inducing a pair of groundballs to first base and a high fly ball to center field. In the 9th, the Captains called on senior closer Adam Emerson to finish off the win. He retired a pinch hitter on a slow roller to first, and then struck out DH Tom Giaimo for the second out. Giaimo was 3-for-4 in the game with a double and triple for Susquehanna, with two runs scored. Down to the final out, Emerson got another groundball to first base for a quick 1-2-3 inning and the save. 

Myers earned the win in relief, improving to 2-0 on the season, while Emerson added his second save of the year. Bobby Klatt (0-1) suffered the loss for Susquehanna after coming in for one inning of relief and allowing two runs. 

Vitaletti finished 3-for-5 in the game, with an RBI and 3 runs scored. Ginch reached in all five of his plate appearances, working a pair of walks, hit by a pair of pitches and had the RBI double. Roberts finished 1-for-3 with 3 RBI and his first HR of the season. 

Christopher Newport is back in action on Tuesday, March 1 as they travel to Hampden-Sydney College (7-3) at 3:00 pm.