YORK, Pa. -- The nationally-ranked CNU baseball team stays out on the road this weekend, traveling to York (Pa.) for Capital Athletic Conference action on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 12:00 pm. The 15th-ranked Captains (13-4, 3-1) take on the Spartans (5-11, 3-1) with live stats and video links available at CNUsports.com.
Christopher Newport has moved up to the Top 15 nationally after a hot start, and have won three of the last four games, including a win over 17th-ranked Mary Washington on Wednesday. The Captains have featured one of the most potent offenses in the nation, ranking in the top ten in the country in runs scored and top five in home runs and stolen bases.
The balanced offense has been led by senior
Tommy Vitaletti, who has gone 13-for-13 on the basepaths while smacking a league-best six home runs. He also leads the CAC in RBI, with 24, and ranks third with a .479 batting average. The Captains are hitting .296 as a team after 17 games, with five starters hitting over .300 this season.
The probable starters for Christopher Newport this weekend are a pair of sophomore right-handers in
Ryan Powell (1-0) and
Craig Johnson (0-1). Johnson is second on the team in innings pitched, at 19.2, and Powell has struck out 16 batters in 18 innings of work. The CNU bullpen continues to impress in the first half of the season as rookies
Austin Slough,
Kyle Zimmermann,
Logan Harrelson,
Logan Aylor and
Davis Bailey have all combined for 18.2 scoreless innings of work in their first season. Slough has done the lion's share of the work for the freshman class, striking out 11 in 11.2 innings of scoreless relief for a 2-0 overall record.
Sophomore
Joe Burris has been a huge factor in long relief, going 2-0 with a 2.40 ERA in eight appearances. The upperclassmen have also been strong, as junior
Caleb Myers has locked down the setup role with a 3-0 record and a 1.47 ERA in a team-high 11 appearances, while senior closer
Adam Emerson has saved four games and boasts an impressive 13.9 K/9 rate.
York (Pa.) struggled through a tough non-conference slate to start the year, but is off to a great start in conference play, winning three of their first four games against CAC opponents. Randy Frankenfield leads the Spartans on the mound in three starts this season, posting a 2.12 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 17 innings. Offensively, three Spartans are hitting .339 or better. Steve Miller and Sean Mohollen have been the primary run producers, driving in 16 and 14 runs, respectively.
First pitch for game one is scheduled for Noon. The second game will begin approximately 30 minutes after the first concludes, with a start time set tentatively for 3:00 pm.
