NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The 17th-ranked Christopher Newport baseball team was one out away from taking down 9th-ranked Randolph-Macon on Tuesday afternoon, but patience at the plate led to a game-tying RBI walk that extended the game. Then, after three scoreless extra innings, it was the Yellow Jackets (12-1) that would capture the go-ahead tally in the top of the 13th, finishing off a come-from-behind win, 6-5, to drop the Captains to 10-2 on the season. 

The nationally-ranked matchup would turn into a battle of the closers at the end of the game, with Christopher Newport senior Adam Emerson and Macon sophomore Christian Cok went head-to-head into extra innings. After suffering his first blown save of the year, Emerson collected his composure to toss four innings with six strikeouts. He came out for the 13th, but after a lead-off double was lifted for sophomore Michael Thomas, who ended up allowing the game-winning double to the corner. 

Cok retired the first ten batters he faced for Randolph-Macon and picked up the win after finishing five shutout innings of relief. He struck out six batters, and escaped a potential 13th-inning rally by the Captains offense, who put the first two batters on. Connor Henderson led off the bottom of the inning with a single into left field to extend his team-high 11 game-hitting streak. Kyle Corwin followed to sacrifice the runner to second, but reached on an error by the second baseman who muffed the throw at first. 

With two on and nobody out, Cok picked off Henderson at second base for the first out.  Then, after Craig Johnson lofted a single into left center field, Corwin was rifled out as he tried to go from first to third on the single. Johnson would steal second to put the game-tying run in scoring position, but Cok picked up his sixth strikeout to end the game. 

The game was extended to extra innings after the Yellow Jackets showed tremendous patience against the Captains' closer. In the top of the 9th, Emerson struck out Cole Migliorini and after putting another runner on by a hit-by-pitch, got a fielder's choice groundout to pick up the second out. Mitch Keeler earned a walk to load the bases and Michael Kroll followed with the RBI free pass. 

Prior to the late inning theatrics, the Captains had another impressive performance at the plate, forging a would-be eighth comeback win with power hitting at the plate. All five of CNU's runs came via the home run as Brandon Ginch led off the day with a 2-run dinger in the bottom of the first. Then, after Randolph-Macon took the lead, 3-2, in the fourth inning, it was back-to-back shots in the bottom of the 7th that helped CNU re-take the lead. First, Keith Roberts blistered a two-run laser into the netting over the left field wall to put CNU up, 4-3, and then Tommy Vitaletti unleashed a mammoth shot to left field in the next at-bat. 

The insurance tally from Vitaletti proved vital as the Yellow Jackets scored one in the eighth and then got the game-tying run in the 9th. 

The Captains got a solid start from senior Blake Ream, who allowed three runs, two earned, over 5.0 innings of work. He struck out eight, while walking three. Roberts and A.J. Nicely each led the offense with two hits, while Roberts' two-RBI and two runs scored were team-bests.

CNU will have to use a short memory for this loss, as conference play begins on Wednesday with another nationally-ranked showdown against No. 13 Salisbury. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 pm at Captains Park.