NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The Christopher Newport baseball team will welcome in North Carolina Wesleyan College on Wednesday, February 14 for the 2018 home opener of Captains Park at 2:00 pm. The Captains (2-0) will take on the Battling Bishops (2-1) in non-conference action in what will be the 95th all-time meeting between the two programs.
The series dates back to the Captains' first year as a program in 1982 and the 94 matchups is the most games played against a single opponent in CNU Baseball history. N.C. Wesleyan holds a 55-39 advantage in the all-time series, which included 32 seasons as conference opponents in the Dixie Intercollegiate / USA South Athletic Conference. The Captains have won six straight in the matchup and eight of the last nine.
Christopher Newport is 15-2 in home openers under head coach
John Harvell and 21-5 in the first game in Newport News since 1992. This season, the Captains will look to improve to 3-0 on the year after sweeping a season-opening doubleheader at Ferrum College last Friday. In the doubleheader, the Captains were led by junior outfielder
Jordan Mason, who hit .400 with 4 RBI and 3 runs scored. Junior shortstop
Austin Henry added three hits while driving in three and scoring three times, as well.
Junior catcher
Ryan Grubbs was named to the D3baseball.com National Team of the Week after a strong season debut in his one game played. He reached base in three of his five plate appearances with a pair of hits, runs scored, and one RBI. He also stole a base and picked up eight putouts behind the dish.
N.C. Wesleyan will enter the non-conference tilt with three games under their belts after opening 2-1 against Eastern Mennonite. After defeating the Royals, 2-0, in the opener, the two teams split a doubleheader on the second day, 4-1 and 4-0. Junior Trey Croom led the way in the three-game set with three hits in eight at-bats and a pair of walks. Junior Max Johnson had just one hit, but it went over the fence for a home run, just one of two extra-base knocks in the opening weekend.
Live stats and a live video webcast will be available of the action at CNUsports.com/live. Admission to Captains Park is free.
