NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The grind of the early season schedule carries on for the nationally-ranked Christopher Newport baseball team with a fourth consecutive five-game week starting on Tuesday against No. 13 Lynchburg. The Captains (11-4) will host the Hornets at 2:00 p.m. at Captains Park before heading out of town to play Bridgewater College on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m.

CNU and Lynchburg will be facing off for the 15th time including home-and-home series in each of the last two seasons. The Hornets have won three of the last four while taking an 8-6 advantage in the all-time series. 

Against Bridgewater, the Captains have won two in a row including an 11-1 victory earlier this season. With seven wins in the last eight games of the all-time series, the Captains have closed the all-time record to within three as CNU trails the Eagles, 25-28. 

The Captains' pitching staff has led the way for Christopher Newport this season. Dylan Weber ranks fifth nationally in strikeouts and has registered a 3-1 overall record in four starts this season. Junior Jay Cassady also ranks in the top-40 nationally in strikeouts through his first three starts with 23 K's in 18.0 innings pitched. 

Offensively, junior Scott Crosson is leading the attack with a 10-game hit streak building his average up to a team-high .388. He has driven in nine runs, ranking second on the team, while delivering a team-high 19 hits and 21 total bases. Catcher Zach Dzarnowski is hitting .387 with three doubles and features the team's best on-base percentage with a .537 mark. 

Lynchburg is off to an 8-1 start this season and has run off a streak of seven straight wins heading into Tuesday's matchup with the Captains. The Hornets swept York (Pa.) over the weekend while holding the Spartans to just eight runs over three games. Senior Avery Neaves is hitting a team-high .400 with 10 hits in 25 at-bats while scoring a team-high 12 runs. Junior catcher Riley O'Donovan has driven in a team-high 11 runs with three extra-base hits. On the mound, senior Zack Potts (3-0) has struck out 21 in 19.0 innings pitched with an ERA of 1.42. 

Bridgewater is led by Brandan Hartman with a 1.311 OPS through the first 11 games. He has rapped 10 doubles and added a home run with 11 of his first 19 hits going for extra bases while hitting .463. He is one of four Eagles to start all 11 games including Jarret Biesecker, who is hitting .295 with six walks and 13 hits this season. 

Following the two mid-week games, the Captains will take on Penn State Harrisburg this weekend in a three-game series in Newport News. CNU will take on the Lions in a doubleheader Saturday, March 11 at 11:00 a.m. and a single game on Sunday.