The EMU baseball had a disappointing start to the 2015 season, giving up the lead late in a 4-3 loss at Christopher Newport.  The Captains scored all their runs in their final three innings to send Eastern Mennonite to an 0-1 start.

The opportunistic Royals dented home all three times in the second inning, keyed by Kyle Armstrong's (Greenville, Va./Riverheads) leadoff walk.  Ryan Hedrick (Bridgewater, Va./Turner Ashby) drew a one-out walk, and Kyle Salladay (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield) singled to left.  CNU's left fielder bobbled the ball and Armstrong took advantage to score unearned.  Hedrick then scored on a passed ball, and Salladay eventually came in on another CNU error after a pop up.

Starter Aaron Hooven (Carroll, Va./Carroll County) threw four scoreless innings before turning the ball over the pen.  The Captains put together three hits in the sixth to score their first run.  A solo homer to lead off the seventh cut EMU's lead to 3-2.

A two-out single in the bottom of the eighth plated two runs as CNU skipped in front and the Royals went down in order in the ninth.

Eastern Mennonite was out-hit 10-3, with Armstrong, Salladay and Nic Love (Bedford, Va./Staunton River) getting the only singles.  Patrick Love (Bedford, Va./Staunton River) also reached twice with a pair of walks.

Hooven struck out four and allowed three hits in his four innings.  Austin Marzullo (Shippensburg, Pa./Shippensburg) was charged with the final two runs and took the loss.

The Royals return to Harrisonburg for their home opener on Saturday, with a 1:00pm start slated against Penn State Altoona.