MIDDLETOWN, Pa. -- For a brief period on Saturday afternoon, the nationally-ranked Christopher Newport baseball team was back atop the league standings alone, but a doubleheader split at Penn State Harrisburg (26-8, 12-4) tightened things back up in the Capital Athletic Conference playoff race. The Captains won game one over the Lions, 13-2, while setting a new program record with 17 walks in a game, before suffering a one-run loss in game two, 6-5. 

After going 1-1 in the twin bill, the Captains overall record ran to 29-7 overall with a 13-3 record in conference play. Just down the road in central Pennsylvania, the York College of Pennsylvania Spartans split with Salisbury, with the Spartans taking game one. The bounceback win for the Sea Gulls, paired with CNU's late rally falling short against Penn State Harrisburg, moved the two teams back into a tie atop the league.  Also, the Lions are now just one game back of the leader with a 12-4 record in conference play. 

In the first game of the day, the Captains showed off their patience and established a new program record with 17 walks. It is the most walks for a single team in a game since 2012, when Stevens earned 18 free passes against Yeshiva on February 26. Leading the way, junior Ryan Grubbs had four, while five total CNU players had multiple walks in the game. Eight of CNU's nine starters had at least one walk in the game. 

Taking advantage of the wild pitching of the Lions, CNU scored 13 runs on nine hits in support of sophomore starter Thomas Packert (7-0). The Captains used the same recipe on the mound that has worked all season, with Packert tossing three-hit ball into the seventh inning before giving way to sophomore Brian Owens and senior Joe Burris. The latter pair are climbing the CAC single season appearances chart as Owens made his 23rd and 24th appearance of the year while Burris entered for the 22nd time.  

The Captains scored three runs on just one hit in the first inning, as Craig Johnson singled in a run and Nick DiNapoli added a sacrifice fly. CNU took a 5-0 lead after two when Nicholas Baham earned a bases loaded walk and Seth Woodard scored on an error by the pitcher.  

CNU carried the 5-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth when the home team scratched across a pair to cut the lead to three, 5-2. Johnson ended the inning when a Penn State Harrisburg tried to tag up on a fly ball to right, but a perfect throw in from the outfield to the plate ended the threat. It was his fourth outfield assist of the season. 

After getting through the fifth with just two runs allowed, Packert worked quickly through the sixth and got one out in the seventh. Austin Henry added an RBI single in the top of the seventh to get CNU in front, 6-2, but the Lions threatened against Packert in the seventh with a pair of one-out walks. The Captains went to Owens, who struck out both batters he faced to end the attempted rally. Owens continued to dominate through the eighth, with two more strickouts and a weak grounder back to the mound as the sophomore retired all five batters he faced. 

CNU tacked on seven more runs in the top of the ninth, continuing to show off their patience at the plate. The Captains had six walks in their final trip to the plate, running their total to 17 for the game. Jordan Mason walked in a run, and Conner Clark tripled with two on for a couple RBI. Later in the inning, Nick DiNapoli added a two-run single as CNU pulled away. Joe Burris closed out the win, 13-2, with just one hit and a strikeout. 

The Captains offense did not get off to as strong a start in the second game, and found themselves trailing, 6-0, heading into the final innings. Not fazed, as CNU has five wins after tailing heading into the final three innings, the bats came around in the top of the 7th. CNU scored five runs on four hits in the inning, pulling back within one of the home team. 

Starting things off, Johnson was hit by a pitch, and then raced to third on a double by DiNapoli. Brandon Walker delivered an RBI single to kick off the scoring, and then DiNapoli raced home on an error by the right fielder. After Mason grounded into an out, but delivered the third run of the inning, the Captains had reserve outfielder, Joseph Cutchins, at the plate. Facing a reliever, Cutchins worked into a 3-1 count before smashing a two-run home run to pull the Captains within one run. It was the first career round-tripper for Cutchins and the 35th of the season for the team. 

The dramatic dinger pulled CNU within one, 6-5, with leading hitter Seth Woodard at the plate. Woodard delivered a single, and stole second and third base to put the tying run within 90 feet of home, but the Lions escaped with the lead. Unfortunately, the Captains could not muster any more dramatics in the final two innings as Penn State Harrisburg pulled out the win. 

Logan Harrelson (3-2) suffered the loss on the mound, while rookie Gray Goodrich came on in relief before Owens' second appearance of the day. Goodrich struck out four in 1.2 innings and Owens struck out three more in 1.2 innings as well. For the day, Owens tossed 3.1 innings, faced just one batter more than the minimum with seven strikeouts. 

The Captains will close out conference play next Saturday, April 28 on Senior Day against Wesley College. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for Noon at Captains Park.