SALISBURY, Md. -- Head coach
John Harvell and the third-ranked Christopher Newport Captains (19-4) are on the road Wednesday, prepared for a clash against regional rival and the nation's fifth-ranked team, Salisbury University (19-3). The game is a key in-region matchup between teams both looking for their 20th win.
Live stats and a
live video webcast will be available, courtesy of Salisbury Athletics.
CNU will look to snap the Sea Gulls nine-game winning streak, but have lost seven straight regular season games at the SU Baseball Field. The all-time matchup favors the Sea Gulls, 33-23, with the Captains winning four of the last seven.
Senior
Shannon Mark was named to the D3baseball.com National Team of the Week after hitting .615 last week, leading the Captains to a 3-0 record. He raised his season batting average to a scorching .421 out of the lead off spot, while
Connor Madden continues to lead CNU in a host of offensive categories. His 34 hits, 21 runs, 28 RBI, 12 steals and 3 home runs are all team-best marks.
On the mound, CNU has posted one of its strongest seasons, holding a 2.70 team ERA after 23 games. Junior starter
Greg Goldsmith leads the way in the rotation with a 3-1 mark and a 1.85 ERA, while sophomore
Jacob Vaughan is 4-0 with a 2.60 ERA. The relieving corps is led by a trio of juniors,
Richard Lindsay,
Matt Verdillo and
Ryan Fleischmann, all sporting sub-2.50 ERA's.
Salisbury is off to one of its hottest starts in program history, losing just three games in the first 22. The Sea Gulls reached the 2011 College World Series after winning the Millington, Tenn. Regional and reached the Regional Championship game in 2010. This season, the features a balanced offense and pitching staff, hitting .316 as a team and holding teams to the tune of a 2.56 ERA.
Tyler Bennett has driven in 27 runs while hitting .395 so far this year with a pair of home runs. The team has hit just six home runs this season, but has 39 doubles including 10 from Bennett. On the hill, Andrew Levy is 4-1 with a 2.60 ERA with a pair of complete games and 30 strikeouts so far. Stephen Miller has pitched 9.1 shutout innings out of the bullpen with 10 strikeouts.
