NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- A.J. Nicely and Nicholas Baham knocked in two runs apiece to erase an early deficit before the bullpen took over and closed out a thrilling 5-3 victory as the Christopher Newport baseball team toppled top-ranked SUNY Cortland during a seven-inning affair on Saturday, which was called early following a hail storm that blanketed Captains Park.
 
After the Captains fell behind 3-0 in the early going, Nicely punched a two-run single in the fourth before Baham added the go-ahead double in the fifth, which lifted CNU out of the hole and helped the squad secure the victory. Both standouts finished with two hits apiece, while Craig Johnson also added a pair to go along with two runs scored and a highlight-reel outfield assist.
 
On the mound for Christopher Newport, Tyler Jumper pitched well beyond his years as the freshman silenced the Red Dragons and earned the victory with two spotless innings out of the pen. Joe Burris also worked 1.2 frames and picked up the save to close out the contest.
 
With the victory, CNU improves to 6-5 on the season. Cortland, who advanced to the College World Series last year, falls to 3-1 with the setback.
 
At the start of the contest, the Red Dragons were poised to break the game open, but the Captains held tough in the early going. In the first, Johnson showed off his cannon in rightfield, gunning down a runner at third with an absolute missile to help end a minor threat. Later, in the second, Cortland scratched out a pair of runs, but Baham made a tremendous play at first to glove a rocket before winning a race to the bag, which ended a bases-loaded situation.
 
Continuing to threaten CNU with big innings, Cortland loaded the bases again in the third but managed to plate only one after Nate Matheson struck out a pair. One inning later, the visitors put two on with one out, but Jumper was summoned from the pen and needed just one pitch to induce a 4-6-3 twin killing, which kept the deficit at three entering the bottom of the fourth.
 
After surviving the early threats with only minimal damage, Christopher Newport found new life at the plate and began its comeback bid in the fourth. With two outs, Brandon Ginch laced a single up the middle before Johnson moved him to third with a double to deep left center. Looking to break through, Nicely wasted no time driving in both runs as the senior poked the first pitch he saw into leftfield, which chased in both runners and cut the deficit down to one.
 
Following quick work by Jumper in the top of the fifth, including another double play, the Captains broke through again in the bottom half. After Jordan Mason reached on an error, Keith Roberts worked a two-out walk to keep the rally going. Stepping in, Baham flared a 1-0 offering into right center, which found its way to the warning track and allowed both runners to score on the way to a 4-3 edge.
 
Looking for a little insurance, Christopher Newport tossed one more on the board in the bottom of the sixth. After Johnson opened the inning with a single to left, he moved to second on a base hit by Ryan Grubbs, and crossed the plate after a ground ball by Austin Henry was mishandled and thrown into leftfield by the Red Dragon defense.
 
Trailing 5-3 entering the seventh, Cortland pieced together one final threat. The visitors put a pair of runners on with only one out. In a bit of a jam, Burris settled in and worked out of it. The junior southpaw handled a comebacker to the mound to register the second out before going up-the-ladder with a 2-2 fastball, which a Red Dragon whiffed at for the final out.
 
With a severe storm fast approaching, Roberts led off the bottom of the seventh with a double to right center before the skies opened up. Spewing equal parts rain, hail, and lightning, Mother Nature had no interest in seeing two more innings of baseball as the field became unplayable in a matter of minutes, leading the umpires to call the game as players, coaches, and spectators ran for shelter.
 
By toppling the top-ranked Red Dragons, the Captains registered their eighth victory over the nation's No. 1 team since head coach John Harvell took over the program in 2001. Christopher Newport last knocked off the country's top squad in 2011 when CNU won three of four against No. 1 Shenandoah on the way to an NCAA Regionals appearance.
 
Christopher Newport will return to action on Sunday with a 1 p.m. bout against Susquehanna. Stay tuned to CNUsports.com for any weather-related updates.