NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Facing the halfway point of the Capital Athletic Conference season, the 14th-ranked Christopher Newport baseball team will have a chance to move into a tie for first place in the league standings when they host Marymount University (15-9, 7-0) on Saturday for a doubleheader. First pitch of game one is scheduled for Noon at Captains Park, with live stats available at CNUsports.com/live. 

The Captains (16-5, 5-2) would move atop the conference with a sweep, but will be charged with the task of becoming the first CAC team to topple the Saints this year. Marymount is riding a seven-game winning streak to open the year in league play, and a nine-game roll overall. The Saints downed nationally-ranked Salisbury on Wednesday in a slugfest, 14-11, while also capturing wins over Frostburg State, 5-3, and a doubleheader sweep of Mary Washington, 4-3 & 8-4, in the run. Both the Bobcats and Eagles were also nationally ranked when Marymount took them down. 

Heading into Saturday's contest, Christopher Newport has won three straight games, while the offense continues to hum with five straight games of seven or more runs scored. For the season, the Captains are averaging 8.95 runs per game with a team batting average of .309. CNU ranks fifth in the nation in total runs, third in home runs and second in stolen bases. 

CNU has featured a timely offense with seemingly a different player stepping up every game, as six different Captains have driven in 13 runs or more already this season. Leading the pack has been senior Tommy Vitaletti, hitting .429 with 26 RBI and 29 runs scored. He is also 14-for-14 on the basepaths and leads the league in extra-base hits with 17. Junior second baseman Keith Roberts is second on the team in RBI with 21, while he and A.J. Nicely are second to Vitaletti in home runs, with three apiece. 

On the mound, CNU has a team 3.86 ERA through the first 21 games with a pair of shutouts. The most recent came from the arm of junior Michael Thomas, who tossed a complete game gem against Bridgewater on Thursday afternoon. Blake Ream also had a strong start on Wednesday against Southern Virginia, picking up his team-leading third win of the year. 

In the bullpen, rookie Austin Slough (3-0) and junior Caleb Myers (3-1) are also tied for the team lead with three victories. Slough has been impressive in his freshman campaign, allowing just two earned runs over his first 17 innings of work for a 1.06 ERA. Myers leads the team in appearances with 13 and boasts a 2.84 ERA out of the pen. Rounding out the strong pitching staff is senior closer Adam Emerson, who has gone 5-for-6 in save opportunities this spring with a 1.84 ERA in 12 appearances. He currently ranks fifth in the nation in total saves. 

The Captains will face a Marymount program in just its third year of existence, led by head coach Frank Leoni. Leoni has guided the Saints quickly to the top of the league standings after finishing fourth in the CAC last year. 

This spring, the Saints have been led by a handful of juniors who have been with the program since its inception. Brandon Orbe is hitting .376 with 11 extra-base hits and 17 RBI, while Brandon Savage has added a team-best .384 with 16 RBI. Sophomore Stephen Berczek leads the team with 25 RBI and three home runs. 

A pair of sophomore arms lead the way for a strong pitching staff, as Dylan Gerdts (0-1, 2.56 ERA) and Collin Bazemore (0-1, 2.59 ERA) have led the rotation while Scott Robison, Conner Hall and John Lamotta have been used out of the pen. Hall and Lamotta have combined for nine of the Saints' 15 wins. 

Live stats will be available for Saturday's twinbill, starting at Noon. The link to live stats is CNUsports.com/live and is also found on the baseball schedule at CNUsports.com.