NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Baseball season has arrived for Christopher Newport University, as the Captains will open the year on Thursday, February 11 against the Hampden-Sydney Tigers (2-1) at 2:00 pm. Head coach John Harvell has also announced an adjustment to the weekend schedule, as CNU will host Bridgewater College on Friday, February 12 at 2:00 pm. Cold weather forecast for the weekend wiped out a pair of games against the Eagles with one being moved to Friday and the other tentatively scheduled for early March. 

The pre-season preparation will come to a head on Thursday as the season commences at Captains Park, marking the start of a smattering of home games to start the season. Christopher Newport will play 15 of its first 18 games within the friendly confines of Captains Park, including the back-to-back set to start the year this week. Live stats will be available for both games at CNUsports.com/live. 

Harvell enters his 16th season at the helm with a veteran core returning to the field in 2016. The Captains return eight position players and their entire rotation from last season, along with the return of 2014 All-Region outfielder Tommy Vitaletti. In a weather-shortened season, CNU managed just 30 games played in 2015, finishing with a 16-14 overall record. Heading into 2016, the Capital Athletic Conference head coaches picked CNU to finish fourth in the preseason poll, behind a logjam between Salisbury, Mary Washington and Frostburg State.

Offensively, Vitaletti will be back on the field after hitting .396 with 27 extra-base hits as a junior, while sophomores Craig Johnson and Brandon Ginch highlight the returners from last season. Johnson hit .394 in 20 games last season and Ginch led the team with 5 HR and 26 RBI as a true freshman a year ago. 

CNU graduated four key relievers, but the bullpen will welcome back right-handed pitcher Caleb Myers. In his sophomore season, Myers appeared in a team-high 21 games, posting a 1-0 record with two saves and a 2.81 ERA. In the rotation, senior Blake Ream and sophomore Joe Burris started a combined 17 games last season, while senior Adam Emerson, who started six games, will return for his final season as well. Ream was 4-2 last season with a team-high 41 strikeouts, followed closely by Emerson's 36. Burris is a lefty who struck out 23 in 27.2 innings of work. 

Christopher Newport will face a Hampden-Sydney squad that played a three-game set against Ferrum to open their season last weekend. After suffering a 15-inning setback, 3-2, in the opener, Hampden-Sydney responded with back-to-back wins over the Panthers, 5-0 and 6-5, to earn the series win. Bridgewater will be opening their 2016 slate with the Friday first pitch against the Captains.