Game 1:  CNU at Piedmont -- Live Stats  ||  Live Video
Game 2:  CNU vs. No. 6 Birmingham-Southern -- Live Stats
Game 3:  CNU vs. Methodist -- Live Stats  ||  Live Video

DEMOREST, Ga. -- The wait is over for the Christopher Newport baseball team, who heads to Georgia to open the 2017 season this weekend with three games in the Piedmont College Early Spring Classic. The Captains (0-0) will play the host Lions (1-1) on Friday night at 7:00 pm before a pair of neutral site games against 6th-ranked Birmingham-Southern (0-0) and Methodist (2-0) over the weekend. 

Live stats will be available for all three games, and the Captains' Friday night and Sunday afternoon matchups will also be presented in a live video webcast. Links to the game coverage can be found on the baseball schedule at CNUsports.com. 

After opening the year against Piedmont on Friday night, the Captains will face the Birmingham-Southern Panthers at 1:00 pm on Saturday, and then the former conference rival Monarchs from Methodist at Noon on Sunday. All three games will be played at Loudermilk Field on the campus of Piedmont College in Demorest, Ga.

Christopher Newport was picked fourth in the CAC preseason coaches' poll, and is receiving votes in the D3baseball.com Top 25. The Captains are coming off their finest season since 2013 after piling up 25 wins for the 11th time in the first 16 years under head coach John Harvell. Heading into year number 17, Harvell has compiled an overall winning record of 436-223-3 for a winning percentage of 66%, ranking 28th among active Division III coaches. 

Harvell will lean on a veteran offense in 2017, headlined by All-Conference infielder Keith Roberts and five more returning starters from last season. Roberts hit .357 last season with 14 extra-base hits and 28 RBI, and reached base at a team-best .476 clip. CNU returns two-thirds of the starting outfield, with senior A.J. Nicely and sophomore Jordan Mason back patrolling left and center field, respectively. The two combined for 21 stolen bases while Nicely delivered five home runs and Mason hit .338, ranking third on the team.

The pitching staff also returns a pair of it's top performers from last season, as sophomore Austin Slough (4-2, 2.80 ERA) and senior Michael Thomas (4-1, 3.29 ERA) anchor the rotation. Newcomer Nate Matheson and redshirt sophomore Logan Harrelson also figure to play a big part in the Captains' starting staff; Matheson is a transfer from Old Dominion University and Harrelson is coming off limited action last season following an injury his freshman year. 

In the bullpen, junior Craig Johnson moved to a reliever's role for the second half of last season and posted a 2.25 ERA in 10 appearances out of the pen. He'll be joined by senior Caleb Myers (4-1, 3.34 ERA, 24 app) and junior Joe Burris (3-0, 3.56 ERA, 19 app) to help solidify the end of games for CNU. 

Piedmont comes into the weekend series having opened the season with a 1-1 record, splitting at Guilford College last weekend. Andrew Burden was named USA South Player of the Week after the sophomore infirleder combined to go 4-for-9 against the Quakers with a pair of home runs. 

Birmingham-Southern is opening their season on Friday against Methodist, and will face CNU in game two on Saturday. Senior Ryan Gaines was named a Preseason First Team All-American by D3baseball.com after posting an 11-2 record and 2.31 ERA last season. The Panthers were 39-13 last year and reached the NCAA South Regional.

Methodist has opened up the year with a 2-0 record with a sweep of the Lynchburg Hornets on February 4. The Monarchs won an 11-inning game, 6-5, in the opener before blitzing by Lynchburg, 20-0, in game two. Senior Tyler Hardee was named the USA South Pitcher of the WEek after tossing five shutout innings against the Hornets with only one hit allowed.