NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- After playing 31 games over the first six weeks of the season, the nationally-ranked Christopher Newport baseball team has played just one since the calendar flipped to April. On Tuesday, the Captains (25-7) will return to action at Captains Park for a 3:00 p.m. first pitch against the St. Mary's College of Maryland Seahawks (6-12). Live stats and a live video webcast will be available at CNUsports.com.
Christopher Newport has piled up 25 wins this season, including in eight of their last nine contests. CNU has been dominant at home, posting an impressive 18-1 overall mark at Captains Park with the lone loss coming to nationally-ranked Randolph-Macon College. CNU will be taking on former conference foe St. Mary's for the 25th time, boasting a 19-5 all-time record against the Seahawks.
The Captains are coming off a record-setting 28-4 win at Eastern Mennonite on Tuesday, April 4. Against the Royals, the Captains set a program record with 27 RBI and tied the program mark for runs in a game. CNU logged a pair of 11-run innings in the game, marking the first time in nearly 1,600 career games that the Captains scored double figures in an inning more than once in a game.
Seven CNU regulars are hitting over .300 this season led by a rookie contingent at the top of the chart --
Josh Reinhold is hitting .387 and
Ayden Stuffel is adding a .375 clip for the freshman class.
Jake Benedict is also hitting .314 for the first year players while transfer
Zach Dzarnowski is hitting .367. The averages are bolstered by a terrific eye at the plate, led by Dzarnowski's 31 walks this season, as Christopher Newport is one walk shy of reaching 200 for the season.
St. Mary's (Md.) is currently on a six-game skid after opening the season with a 6-6 start. The Seahawks are led by Chase O'Dell, hitting .413 with eight extra-base hits, and Cole Tarleton, hitting .358 with nine extra-base hits. Garrett Pullium and George Berbakos have a team-best 16 RBI so far this season.
Following the Tuesday afternoon tilt, the Captains will be back in action on Thursday at home against Virginia Wesleyan University.
