ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. -- The eighth-ranked Christopher Newport Captains (25-8-1, 16-5) will wrap up the USA South regular season this weekend as they travel to play second-place N.C. Wesleyan College (18-19, 14-7). The three-game series will determine the 2013 Conference Regular Season Championship, and CNU needs to win just one game to clinch their second straight regular season title. 

The schedule for the series has been adjusted, with a doubleheader now scheduled for Saturday, April 6, beginning at Noon. The two teams will then take the field Sunday for game three at 2:00 pm.

The Captains, currently two games up on the Battling Bishops in the conference standings, have won six of their last seven games and are averaging over 8.2 runs per game in that span. The offense has caught fire, led by juniors Justin Weaver and Billy Steel. Steel leads the nation in runs scored, with 39, and is hitting .355 with 15 extra-base hits. Weaver is among the nation's leading run producers, driving in 38 runs while hitting .393. 

Meanwhile, the CNU pitching staff continues to post one of the most dominant seasons in school history. With an ERA of 2.99, the CNU arms have led the nation in strikeouts per nine innings, with 9.9, and boasts the nation's leader in K's in junior Austin Chrismon. Chrismon (6-2) is one-third of a weekend rotation that has tossed 19 straight quality starts against conference opponents, joined by junior Bryan Bierlein and rookie Brandon Taylor. Chrismon has struck out 73 with an ERA of 1.73, while Bierlein (6-2) has fanned 63 with an ERA of 2.02. 

In the bullpen, senior Ryan Fleischmann continues to climb Division III's all-time lists, including now ranking fourth on the Career Saves list with 29. He broke his own single season record at CNU with 11 saves and also broke the USA South's career record, held by N.C. Wesleyan's Stan Mohn. He also ranks in the nation's top ten in appearances, with 82 career relief efforts. 

The Battling Bishops struggled in the early portion of their schedule, opening the year at 7-13. Since March 8, however, N.C. Wesleyan has run off 11 wins in their next 17 games to put themselves in contention for the top seed in next week's USA South Tournament. They swept the Ferrum Panthers last weekend and have won seven of their last eight games. Staff ace Jake Swartout has posted a 5-3 record in eight starts this season, with a 1.72 ERA. Offensively, Jake Alexander leads the team in RBI (23) and is second in runs scored (22).