NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Making their second consecutive NCAA Regional appearance and 10th in program history, the top-ranked Christopher Newport baseball team will host Misericordia University (32-11) in a best-of-five game series starting Friday, May 17 at Noon. The two teams will take the field at Captains Park for a pair on Friday to kick off postseason play. 

The weather forecast looks favorable for lots of great postseason action in Newport News, Va. and fans looking to attend the games in person should expect a $10 admission price for adults and $5 for children. For those unable to make it out to the diamond can watch all the action live on video and via live stats at CNUsports.com. 

Christopher Newport comes into the contest with a 35-7 overall record and winners of the Capital Athletic Conference Tournament. The Cougars won the MAC Freedom and is making the program's ninth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance after reaching the Division III World Series in 2018. 

The two teams have only ever matched up twice before, in a non-conference regular season doubleheader during the 2006 season. The Captains won both games at home to take a 2-0 lead in the all-time series. 

Both teams boast a bevy of All-Conference performers as CNU had 10 selected to the All-CAC teams this year while Misericordia picked up eight All-MAC Freedom accolades. The Cougars also boast Conference Player of the Year Kenny Jarema and Pitcher of the Year Ian McCole. CNU was led by Coach of the Year John Harvell and a record six first team All-CAC picks. 

This year, the Captains offense has been eye-popping, shattering program records for scoring before even the end of the regular season. Now headed into the NCAA Regional, the CNU lineup still leads all of the NCAA -- Division I, II, and III -- with 12.1 runs per game and is outscoring the second-best Division III offense by over two runs per contest. The mark currently ranks third all-time in Division III history behind only a pair of Wisconsin-Oshkosh seasons that ended with 12.7 runs per game. 

The run-scoring juggernaut features a lineup of nine players hitting well over .300 and a pair over .400. Seniors Ryan Grubbs, at .429, and Joseph Cutchins, at .419, pace the group from the bottom-third of the order while the middle of the lineup has put up record-breaking run production. Seniors Nicholas Baham and Seth Woodard have each driven in 60 runs while scoring a combined 112 runs. Baham leads the nation in home runs and Woodard is at the top of the walks chart nationally while shattering the CNU single season record. His 55 free passes are just the highest individual total among one of the most patient lineups in all of baseball as the Captains have worked 298 walks in 42 games this season for an average of 7.1 per game. 

While the Captains offense has impressed all season long with 28 double-figure scoring performances, the Misericordia University Cougars has featured a disciplined and veteran team that is sound in all three phases of the game. Ranking 12th in fielding percentage as a team, the Cougars pitching staff has been able to rely on terrific defense behind them all season. Misericordia also ranks 42nd nationally in total hits and 31st in batting average, showing an affinity for finding green, while also ranking in the top-25 in both sacrifice bunts and sac flies as they manufacture their offense. On the mound, the Cougars led the MAC Freedom in ERA and hits allowed per game. 

Leading the pitching staff is McCole, who ranks fourth nationally in victories with a 10-1 overall record. He has a 1.88 ERA over 71.2 innings pitched and has a pair of complete games, including a shutout, this season. Backing him up is Kyle Melahn, who is 3-1 with a 2.52 ERA, and Tom Jacob, with a 7-3 record and 3.13 ERA. As a staff, the Cougars have a 3.98 team ERA and have four pitchers who have started at least five games this season. 

Offensively, Jarema ranks third nationally with a .571 on-base percentage and sixth in walks with 42. His good eye has also led to a team-leading .438 batting average and a 1.118 OPS this season. Steve Weisensee is hitting .376 and leads the team in stolen bases with 23 and Parker Abate is hitting .338 with 14 stolen bases and 12 sacrifice bunts. 

First pitch from Captains Park in the best-of-five NCAA Regional Series will be thrown at 12:00 pm on Friday afternoon. The second game will begin approximately 45 minutes following the conclusion of game one. The two teams will then meet for game three at Noon on Saturday, with games four and five being played if necessary as part of a doubleheader Saturday and at Noon on Sunday, respectively.