Live Stats // Video Stream

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- In the midst of a nine-game homestand, the Christopher Newport baseball team will kick off a busy week at Captains Park with a pair of midweek battles as CNU hosts Elmira on Tuesday before squaring off with Randolph-Macon on Wednesday. The first pitch for both games is scheduled for 2 p.m.
                    
The Captains, who split the first four games of their homestand, currently sit at 3-4 overall. Meanwhile, Elmira will be making its season debut on Tuesday, and Randolph-Macon sports a pristine 5-0 mark entering Wednesday's tilt.
 
For those fans unable to make it to the games, live stats and a video stream of the action will be available at CNUsports.com. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the CNU schedule page.
 
Last week, Christopher Newport went 2-2 to start its home slate after dropping a decision to Hampden-Sydney on Thursday before winning two-of-three against Ferrum to close out the week. Jordan Mason looked comfortable during his first series at home this year as the sophomore laced at least two hits in all three games against the Panthers, including a 3-for-5 effort on Sunday. Overall this year, he is tied for the team lead with 13 hits while boasting a .486 on-base percentage.
 
Nicholas Baham also has 13 hits this year, including at least one in all seven games. On Friday, he launched his team-leading third home run of the year. The sophomore slugger also ranks first in the CAC with 10 runs scored and nine RBI, while his .806 slugging percentage is over 50 points higher than the next closest qualified batter.
 
Along with Mason and Baham, Austin Henry ranks third on CNU with nine hits, while Craig Johnson leads the squad with a .550 on-base percentage, including a team-high six walks. A.J. Nicely and Joseph Cutchins are also hitting at least .300 through the first two weeks of the season. Nicely ranks second on the team with a .636 slugging percentage, and Cutchins leads the squad with three stolen bases.
 
On the mound, Joe Burris has been outstanding out of the pen, compiling a 1.17 ERA over 7.2 innings of relief work. Meanwhile, Michael Thomas has anchored the starting rotation with a 1.50 ERA over 12 frames, while Nate Matheson has limited the opposition to a miniscule .083 batting average in his two starts.
 
Elmira comes to Newport News after posting a 16-24 record in 2016. The Soaring Eagles graduated only three players from last year's squad and return all four of their All-Conference performers. Headlining the returners, first baseman Dylan Bellinger became Elmira's first-ever All-Region selection after compiling a .378 batting average and a league-high 21 doubles during his junior campaign. Fellow first-team All-Conference performer Hayden Rothenberg returns to the top of the lineup as well after hitting .340 while stealing 14 bases last year.
 
Along with Bellinger and Rothenberg, Conor Bawiec and Nick Sampogna also earned All-Empire 8 accolades last year. Bawiec led Elmira with a .395 average while also picking up five wins for his work on the mound. Sampogna also shined on the hill, ranking fifth in the league with a 2.90 ERA and 53 strikeouts.
 
Following Elmira, Randolph-Macon will come to town for a clash on Wednesday. The Yellow Jackets have ripped off five straight victories to open 2017, including a pair of triumphs over CAC member St. Mary's (Md.). The squad also swept a series from Rensselaer over the weekend, including a pair of 7-0 triumphs.
 
Entering 2017 with high expectations, the Yellow Jackets were selected as the favorites in the ODAC Preseason Poll and ranked in the top-10 nationally in both the D3Baseball and Collegiate Baseball rankings. Living up to the hype, sophomore Jeff Butler currently boasts a .556 batting average and nine stolen bases. Blake Saathoff also is hitting at a .429 clip with five runs scored. Meanwhile, on the mound, RMC has a 1.26 team ERA, including a spotless mark for Cody Thompson who also has two wins and 11 strikeouts in 7.2 innings of work.
 
Tuesday's match-up with Elmira will mark the first-ever meeting between the two programs. On the other hand, the Captains and Yellow Jackets have squared off 46 times with CNU holding a 27-19 edge in the series. Last year, after weather played havoc with the schedule, the two squads eventually faced off on March 8 with Macon outlasting the Captains, 6-5, in a 13-inning marathon in Newport News.
 
Following the midweek contests, Christopher Newport will wrap up its homestand with games against Susquehanna and No. 1 Cortland State over the weekend.
 
---CNU---