NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Susquehanna baseball dropped its season opener against Christopher Newport University Friday afternoon.

The Crusaders (0-1) jumped to a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning and remained ahead until a two-run bottom of the ninth gave the Captains (6-0) the 7-6 win.

Zach Leone went 5-for-5 at the plate and drove in three runs with one double and one home run. Bryan Palsi went 3-for-5 with one RBI on a double while Justin Cassinelli went 2-for-4.

Starter Matt Cassinelli tossed six innings and gave up four hits and five runs with eight strikeouts. Bobby Whittemann pitched two innings and allowed one hit and had one strikeout. In 1/3 of an inning of action, closer Liam Conboy (0-1) gave up two hits and two runs with one walk and one strikeout.  

In the third inning, Justin Cassinelli doubled to left field and was followed by a Zach Leone single that advanced Cassinelli to third. Dylan Jenkins singled to pick up a RBI as Cassinelli scored. A throwing error on the Captains scored Leone to give SU the 2-0 lead.

The top of the fifth inning was just as profitable as Justin Cassinelli walked and Leone homered to left field to drive in two and put the Crusaders up 4-0. Christopher Newport answered with a home run of its own in the bottom of the inning to cut the lead to three (4-1).

Justin Cassinelli started the seventh inning with a single that put him on base where Leone picked up another RBI with a double to right center for a 5-1 ballgame. Palsi followed with a double of his own to score Leone, putting SU ahead 6-1.

The Captains answered with a four-run seventh inning to pull within one (6-5). Neither team scored in the eighth but a two-run bottom of the ninth gave CNU the 7-6, walk-off win.

Susquehanna returns to action at Christopher Newport as the team takes on Ithaca tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.