KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — Christopher Newport plated five runs in the second inning to knock off No. 3 ranked Marietta College by the score of 7-2 Friday (Feb. 25) afternoon at the D3 Showcase. The Pioneers fall to 0-1 on the young season, while the Captains improve to 4-4 overall.

Christopher Newport plated an unearned run in the first inning before exploding for five in the second. Conner Clark led off with an infield single. Scott Crosson dropped down the sac bunt and was safe at first on an error by the Pioneer pitcher which allowed Clark to go to third. Clark scored when Jay Cassady grounded into a double play.

The Captains roughed up Pioneer starter Gino Sabatine sending 10 hitters to the plate in the top of the second. CNU plated five runs on six hits in the frame. Crosson delivered the big blow with a bases loaded double that drove in three runs.

Sabatine (0-1) settled down after the second and pitched through the fifth. He worked 5.0 innings and allowed six runs, five earned, on nine hits. Griffin Malick pitched the final 4.0 innings for Marietta allowing one run on three hits and striking out four.

Marietta got on the board with two runs in the third. AJ Lovin led off with a bunt single. After a pop up for the first out, Turner Hill walked moving Lovin into scoring position. Damian Yenzi followed with a single to left scoring Lovin and moving Hill to second. Holderbach singled to right loading the bases.

Logan Vietmeier hit a sharp ground ball to third and CNU forced Hill out at the plate for the second out. Zach Boyd worked a bases-loaded walk scoring Yenzi to make it 6-2.

Christopher Newport starter Jay Cassady (2-0) kept the Pioneer offense in check to get the win. He threw 6.0 innings and gave up two runs on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Daniel Elliott picked up the save throwing 3.0 inning of shutout relief. Elliott allowed three hits with five strikeouts.

CNU added an insurance run in the eighth. Justin Bowers got a lead-off triple and then scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Elliott.

Holderbach went 3-for-5 and Yenzi had a pair of hits, including a double. Brett Varson made his Pioneer debut and smacked a triple. Alex Page collected two singles from the designated hitter position.

Clark had four hits in the leadoff spot for the Captains. Crosson finished with two hits and three runs batted in.

Marietta plays Keystone College Saturday (Feb. 26) at 10 a.m. and Washington and Lee University at 2 p.m.