NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The No. 14 Salisbury University baseball team traveled to take on top-ranked and Capital Athletic Conference opponent Christopher Newport University on Saturday afternoon, but dropped game one of the three-game series, 11-7.

Salisbury (19-5-1, 9-1 CAC ) scored the first run of the game to take an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning after Will Gutekunst managed to reach base safely on a throwing error that allowed Jack Barry to advance home.

The Captains (22-2, 10-0 CAC ) answered quickly in the bottom half of the inning, scoring three runs of their own, including a two-RBI single down the right field line by Eric O'brien, to take the 3-1 lead.

A successful squeeze bunt attempt by Barry in the third inning scored Cameron Hyder from third base to cut the Sea Gull deficit to 3-2.

The maroon and gold added four more runs in the fifth inning to re-take the lead, started by a run-scoring balk called on Captains starting pitcher Josh Husby. Brad Haas and Jimmy Adkins added a pair of RBI singles in the frame, while Gutekunst was able to drive in the fourth run on an RBI fielder's choice to make it 6-3.

The Captains rallied back in the bottom half of the fifth to score five runs of their own, including a two-RBI triple by Jordan Mason and a two-run home run by Trey Hicks, to take an 8-6 lead.

A sacrifice fly by Barry in the sixth inning cut the deficit to only one run, but the Captains would add three more runs in the final innings to seal the victory.

The teams will meet again tomorrow, Sunday, April 7 for the final two games of the series beginning at 12 p.m.