NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- As the ever-tightening race atop the Capital Athletic Conference baseball standings comes to a close, the second-ranked Christopher Newport Captains (28-4, 15-2) will host third-place York College of Pennsylvania (24-10, 13-5) in a three-game series this weekend at Captains Park. With plenty left to play for by both teams, every game will hold playoff seeding implications as the Captains throw out the first pitch of a doubleheader on Saturday at Noon and again at 1:00 pm for a single game on Sunday. 

Sunday afternoon will also serve as Senior Day for 12 Christopher Newport baseball players set to take the diamond at  home for the final time in the regular season. The accomplished class will be celebrated in an on-field ceremony prior to the game with their families and coaching staff. 

Heading into the weekend, the top two teams in the league standings are separated by mere percentage points as 10th-ranked Salisbury and Christopher Newport hold a slight lead over the Spartans going into the final week of play. The top two seeds will host three-team pods in the first weekend of the CAC Tournament next weekend. 

CNU is coming off a 16-9 win over Southern Virginia on Wednesday, behind a 10-run eighth inning to take the lead against the Knights. The dominating Captains offense is averaging an NCAA-leading 12.4 runs per game this season while hitting .346 as a team. Senior Nicholas Baham leads the nation in home runs with 14 while also ranking second nationally in RBI, with 52. Several CNU Captains are at the top of statistical categories nationally, including senior Seth Woodard leading the nation in walks per game, sophomore Conner Clark in stolen bases and second in runs per game, and senior Ryan Grubbs leading the country in on-base percentage. 

York (Pa.) dropped a 15-5 decision to 20th-ranked Randolph-Macon on Thursday and a 6-0 loss against the 4th-ranked Rowan Profs earlier in the week. Those losses snapped a seven-game win streak for the Spartans who are now 24-10 overall and 13-5 in conference play. A dangerous offense, the Spartans are averaging just under nine runs per game while being led by Brandon White. White has a team-high seven home runs and 45 RBI while hitting .298 for the Spartans. Grant Oberholtzer and Jack Barry have each delivered six HR and 29 RBI while Austin Denlinger is hitting a team-best .369 this season. 

Live stats and a live video webcast will be available for all three games this weekend at CNUsports.com. Following the weekend CAC series, the Captains will take on R-MC in the regular season finale on Tuesday.