NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The first pitch of the 2023 Christopher Newport baseball season will be thrown out at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon as nationally-ranked CNU hosts Eastern Mennonite (0-2) at Captains Park. The season opener will be played at home for the first time since 2019 and the 15th time in 23 seasons under head coach John Harvell. 

For fans unable to make it out to the ballpark for the midweek matinee, a live video stream and live stats will be available for all the action on Wednesday. Links to both can be found on the baseball schedule at CNUsports.com. 

Christopher Newport enters the 2023 season just 20 wins away from 900 as a program and only 10 wins shy of earning Coach Harvell's 600th career win. CNU is ranked No. 30 in the Collegiate Baseball News Preseason National Rankings and are receiving votes in the D3baseball.com Top 25. 

CNU finished the 2022 season with a 27-14 overall record and reached the NCAA Regional Championship against No. 2 Marietta. This season, the Captains return the bulk of that roster including a pitching staff anchored by veterans Dylan Weber and Jay Cassady. The duo combined for nine wins and 172 strikeouts over 131 innings pitched last season. Jack Anderson, Jack Braley, Connor Pennell and Colby Shriner are all back into the fold after combining to start 14 games last season with 25 total appearances. 

On the offensive side, the Captains return All-American Justin Bowers after a record-breaking first year with the team a year ago. Bowers slammed 14 home runs and finished the year with an .851 slugging percentage and .532 on-base percentage. Behind him, Daniel Elliott had an exceptional campaign as a two-way player, hitting .336 at the dish and saving eight games with a 2.20 ERA as the Captains' closer. 

Eastern Mennonite was 12-24 last season and suffered a 17-6 setback to the Captains in their lone matchup. The Royals dropped a season-opening doubleheader at Maryville last weekend to start the year 0-2. Logan Mason and Ethan Spraker each delivered three hits in the twin bill and Mason added a walk, run scored, and stolen base. 

Following Wednesday's matchup, Christopher Newport will take on Marymount University on Thursday, February 16 at 2:00 pm. The game was originally scheduled for Friday but rainy weather expected in the area forced an early-season adjustment.