SALISBURY, Md. -- The second-longest winning streak in CNU Baseball history came to an end on Thursday afternoon as the 24th-ranked Salisbury Sea Gulls (21-7, 9-2) handed the Captains (26-5, 10-1) their first conference loss of the season, 17-7. Christopher Newport suffered it's first loss since February after an 18-game roll, ranking as the longest in Division III this season. 

Salisbury got a strong start from Connor Reeves (8-2), who held the Captains to three runs over eight innings of work. CNU would get to reliever Jimmy Adkins for four runs in the ninth, but a 10-run eighth inning for the home team put the game out of reach. 

Rookie Gray Goodrich (5-2) held the dangerous Salisbury lineup in check the first time through the order, as CNU took a 1-0 lead after the first three innings. The Captains scored first with a run in the third inning. After two outs were recorded, Austin Henry reached on a hit-by-pitch and Jordan Mason singled through the right side. After Henry moved up to third on a passed ball, he raced home on a dropped third strike to score the game's first run.  

A six-run fourth, however, put Salisbury in control as they opened a 6-1 lead. In the bottom of the fourth, Salisbury slammed three home runs and scored six runs, highlighted by a three-run blast from catcher Matt Padeway. 

After adding one in the fifth, the Sea Gulls led 7-1 heading into the final third of the game. CNU cut the lead to four with a pair of tallies in the top of the seventh, and looked to keep it close. Henry scored his second run of the game when Mason delivered an RBI double down the right field line. Two batters later, Seth Woodard added an RBI single into left field to plate the junior outfielder. 

The bottom of the eighth spelled disaster for the Captains as the home team scored 10 times on eight hits to put away the conference win. In the ninth, CNU mounted a small rally as Woodard kicked things off with a one-out single. After the second out was recorded, CNU got an RBI single from Craig Johnson, and another run scored on an error by the right fielder. The final scores of the game would come courtesy of a two-run single by Ryan Grubbs, as Nick DiNapoli and Johnson both raced home. 

The Captains will look to bounce back quickly with a conference doubleheader at Frostburg State this Saturday, April 14. First pitch against the Bobcats is scheduled for Noon.