NEWPORT NEWS, Va.. - Christopher Newport University is off to an 8-0 start to the new season, and the Captains will have a busy weekend in Raleigh, N.C. Keith Parr's squad, ranked seventh in the nation this week, will play two games Saturday and two more on Sunday in the Grand Slam Triangle Classic.

CNU opens play in the classic on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. with a game against Arcadia University. It will mark the fourth all-time meeting with Arcadia, and the Captains have won the three previous games in the series. The Captains will then take on NYU in a 5:00 p.m. start, and CNU is 2-0 vs. NYU after sweeping a doubleheader last March at Captains Park.

On Sunday, Christopher Newport is set to play Berry College (Ga.) at 12 noon, followed by a battle with Methodist University at 2:30 p.m. CNU has taken two of three previous games with Berry, and has a 46-42 advantage in the long-running series with Methodist.

Christopher Newport has out-scored its opponents so far this season, 63-10, and the Captains have a team batting average of .379. Senior pitchers Jamie Martin (4-0) and Kate Alger (3-0) have led the way so far in the circle, and have struck out 51 batters in 38 innings combined with just one earned run allowed.

Sophomore centerfielder Candace Slaw tops the team at the plate with a .593 batting average. Fifth-year senior third baseman Brooke Greaver has driven in 17 runs in just eight games, and sophomore catcher Natalie Quinlan has crushed four home runs and has posted a dozen runs batted in. 

Following the weekend in Raleigh, the Captains are set to host games in the Cross Bay Bash next weekend at Captains Park.